Hundreds Of Motorists Stranded On Major Highway Due To Severe Winter Storm

A 50-mile stretch of I-95 in Virginia was shut down due to a severe winter storm, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded in their vehicles. The storm dumped over a foot of snow across the parts of the region, creating dangerous conditions.

The Virginia Department of Transportation was forced to close down both the north and southbound sections of highway, which runs between Richmond and Washington, D.C., after a multivehicle accident.

Rescuers were working around the clock to rescue stranded drivers but were making very little progress due to the harsh, wintery conditions. To make matters worse, many side roads and alternative routes were also closed due to downed trees and powerlines.

"This is unprecedented, and we continue to steadily move stopped trucks to make progress toward restoring lanes," VDOT Fredericksburg District Engineer Marcie Parker said in a statement.

"In addition to clearing the trucks, we are treating for snow and several inches of ice that has accumulated around them to ensure that when the lanes reopen, motorists can safely proceed to their destination," Parker said.

One of the motorists trapped on the road was Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. He shared a photo from his car on Twitter and said he had been stuck for over 19 hours.

"I started my normal 2 hour drive to DC at 1pm yesterday. 19 hours later, I'm still not near the Capitol," he wrote.