A mixture of abandoned cars and a snow-covered interstate caused a 20-mile back-up on I-81 north from Rockbridge County on Sunday.
James Cartwright got out his map- his key to a smoother trip back home to Canada.
"I've been backed up here before. This isn't the first time. This is the second time I've been backed up in Natural Bridge, between Buchanan and Natural Bridge,” he said.
Once he saw the 20-mile backup, he and his friends knew their 13-hour trip home would be detoured to Route 11.
As drivers waited, some waved cheerfully while others found another spot to pull off and take a break.
Drivers anywhere from Texas to New York had a long trip ahead of them.
We caught up with Sana Hasan from Roanoke trying to get to Harrisonburg.
"My brother said we're going to go another way. And now we're hearing on the radio close to 17 miles backed up. We just have to be at a wedding by 5 o'clock,” she said.
By the time we got to Rockbridge County, the vehicles just tried to make it uphill on Interstate 81, battling the snow-covered interstate.
VDOT said they couldn’t get to that section of I-81 because of all the abandoned vehicles and heavy traffic on Saturday night. There were about 50-70 abandoned vehicles on the road that had to be rescued.
On Sunday, National Guard troops were still in the area to lend a hand. They had been there since Saturday.
"They started getting people off the interstate, at that time,” said Robert Foresman, Emergency Management Coordinator for Rockbridge County.
Back in Roanoke County, traffic was full speed by the middle of the afternoon. But there were other factors besides the slick spots that slowed down traffic. Officials say traffic was at a standstill overnight and this morning so drivers fell asleep. So State Police and National Guard units had to go from car to car to make sure drivers awake and get traffic moving again.
People who were stuck in traffic had to get over some frustration. Stephen Thompson was traveling back to New York and already got stuck in traffic on Saturday.
"I was in traffic for like two hours just sitting there. So now, I'm going back home and experiencing the same thing again,” he said.
But it’s just a risk you take when a winter storm hits during the holiday traveling season.
V-DOT said later on this afternoon they were able to plow that section of the interstate in Rockbridge. They say the road has in minor condition- it’s passable but drivers should still be careful.
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