Sorry for the Fox link. These poor souls have been stuck on 95 for 15+ hours and last night temperatures dipped into the teens. There really is no excuse for this, it looks like nothing was done to put down salt or move snow. We didn't get that much snow, even here in the mountains, so I would guess that's the cause. They're saying up to a foot of snow but the only headline I saw said 5-8 inches. I used to drive up and down 95 all winter from Northern Virginia to Richmond and the only time I saw anything like this was a February snowfall when the state claimed they had run out of road chemicals. And it wasn't this bad.
Comments (28)
sorted by:
Here in Virginia either they over prepare and get nothing or under prepare and get tons.
Maybe VA and Indiana share a highway dept dude, or they are brothers, cause they sure as hell think alike.
I was traveling for work once and witnessed not even one full inch of snow in DC / Tyson’s corner area. I have never seen anything so ridiculous in my life. There was like a 70 car pile up on the highway, wheels and axels everywhere. I have never see anything like it. I don’t even think they have salt there.
DC is a freshwater swamp -- no salt, other than tears.
Northern Virginia can see gridlock if there's sun in drivers' eyes. Yes, they do have salt. It looks like either they didn't use it or didn't buy any.
They didn’t do shit in Maryland and we got 12 inches. Accidents EVERYWHERE. Highways shut down for hours. The incompetence is astounding.
I live in another part of Virginia and I noticed when I was in town day before yesterday, no salt or chemicals were put down on any of the roads in anticipation of the snow. I wasn't on the interstate but did travel on two major state roads. However, the store was wiped out of bread, milk, bottled water, and shoppers were stocking up on meat, snacks, etc. so if the shoppers knew about it, why didn't VDOT?
As somebody who lives in an area that gets well over 200" of snow each winter, I just don't understand this. Do they not have snowplows? Or is just incompetence?
Places that historically have little snow don't invest money in snow removal. It's simple economics, as the expensive machinery would sit idle 360 days of the year. Here in East Tennessee we go for preventative measures like spraying salt sprays on roads before expected snowfalls and that seems to work most of the time.
Most of the time. 😄
But it's also true that 1 inch of snow can bring some areas to a standstill. Deep rural areas with hills and trees often don't allow enough sunshine to melt snow or ice, so we just wait it out.
Whatever machinery municipalities have to deal with snow is usually standard equipment like dump trucks and spray vehicles used other times of the year for other duties, pressed into service on snow days.
I had never heard of that and I'm in ND we have winter for four or five months of the year. Well you learn something new every day lol.
Yeah, I realize they don't have enough snow removal equipment, but the DC area does get some snow every winter. I would think it would be a priority to take care of I95 first. I saw they have a 90 mile backup on I95 that has moved very little or not at all for 15 hours. Why don't people just get off I95 and find another route to get home?
We're supposed to get 10 of snow tonight and tomorrow. Around here it's no big deal. The plows will be out on the highways keeping them open. As the snow stops they'll plow the towns, back roads and rural areas. The plow will come by, I'll grumble about it, then go out and shovel and snow blow.
Western Washington state, rural area. I’m on a hill, most would consider a “mountain”. Normally it’s taken care of within 12 hours after a big snow dump. It’s been a week and they’ve hardly done anything. I haven’t seen any sign of de-icer, little plowing. We’ve had some thawing and rain, but it’s still slick as snot.
It's stupidity.
It's probably a combination of both. I'm leaning more towards the latter. There is a lack of snow plows or drivers nationwide but that's a tanget discussion. More importantly It's also people not knowing how to drive in inclement weather or just complacent.
I also live in a snowy area in the winter; tons of plows!. After a large snow fall it still takes time to clear it all. Meanwhile we are still expected to get to work and school. 1' of snow or 1/4" of ice where I live doesn't shut anything down whether the plows have it cleared or not.
When I lived in VA beach it snowed once, three inches and the place was closed for two weeks
As someone who lived in Virginia for awhile, I can attest that their only means of snow removal is the sun. Although I jest when I say this, it's not far from the truth. My first winter there, I was at work when it started to barely spit snow. My co-worker remarked that she'd probably have to take a half-day off because they'd be closing the schools and she'd have to go home to meet her kid. I laughed because I thought she was making a joke. She was serious...and they did close the schools.
You don't even want to be there when they get a dusting of snow. I had a 45 minute commute to work and you would not believe the number of accidents and cars that had slid off the road. They have absolutely no clue how to drive in snow -- of any amount.
That's not true for most of the state. The state normally has piles of chemicals and they own snow plows, state and locally, or contract every year to get roads plowed. This was the first snow of the year so this has to have been purposeful negligence or sheer stupidity. Interstates like 81 and 95 usually get priority.
I lived in Richmond years ago and what you said was true there - light dusting and the city came to a screeching halt. No radial tires then and I think we were the only people who owned snow tires, no snow plows and they had to wait and rent or borrow the county's plows. But that was 40-some years ago.
The county schools all have kids who ride the bus and live in areas that are difficult to reach on country roads when there's snow on the ground. State funding based on attendance is a factor too. That's one reason why you'll see schools close after lunch. They get their money for that day.
14 years in the same place, four wheel drive 👍
Same thing in Atlanta, 1/2" of snow and they're done dealing.
UN marching troops that they've been planting all across the country?
Apparently Tim Kaine (sp) was stuck in this. I guess no one thought it important to notify him that they were firing up the weather machine?
Read almost 24h ago that all of I-95 was completely shut down due to an accident caused by the snow - a tractor trailer having skidded sideways on the ice and blocked the entire roadway. Feeling sorry for motorists not just being able to get to their homes, but also being stuck overnight in a blizzard in unfamiliar parts of the state.
I dont know what the road status is currently but the weather doesn't sound like its let up much.
I saw that story, but all the other stories say there were numerous accidents. BTW, this was not a blizzard or anything close to it. The snow ended yesterday, the temps were very cold last night but are much warmer today. Most of this snow is melting off. Current weather for Frederickburg is light rain.
Its happening everywhere this winter. California had multiple hwys closed without a plow anywhere to be found.
Watched a youtuber he is a trucker traveling west on I-70 out of Grand Junction was shocked to not see one plow anywhere. He has been driving that Interstate for years
Maybe they spent all their money buying recall votes?
It says in the article they're trying to clear snow. Lots of pile ups and accidents.
5 to 8 in is a lot of snow didn't people know about it ahead of time? I guess here we stay home until we know the plows have gone out
Most of the time plows don't go out until it's done storming. Idk how it is in other states.
Ive seen snow beforre. The left needs a distraction.e
My news station reported they were stranded for 17 hours. Teehee!
How many tards drained their EV batteries running the heater for 12 hours?