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Keith Ebert spent his 75th birthday Tuesday morning in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Interstate 95 surrounded by ice, snow and flashing taillights.
Ebert was among the hundreds of drivers stuck for more than 15 hours — others 24-plus — along a 50-mile stretch of highway after Monday’s winter storm brought heavy snowfall that contributed to a series of vehicle crashes that left the busy corridor impassible.
Although it’s “been a birthday to remember” for Ebert, being stuck on a highway for 15 hours without moving is “totally inexcusable.”
“As a rule, we don’t like traveling on 95 because of the bad reputation,” he said. “But they were not very prepared for this at all.”
Clearing portions of interstates 64 and 95 of snow and debris will be a multiday effort, according to Virginia Department of Transportation officials. Several tractor-trailers jackknifed along I-95, bringing traffic in both directions to halt Monday and VDOT officials said Tuesday they are actively detouring motorists who are now on I-95 between Caroline County and Prince William County.
Ebert and his wife, Joanne, were traveling back to York County from her mother’s funeral two weeks ago. After spending time with their extended family over Christmas and New Years, the two left around 8:50 a.m. Monday.
“The first hairy part was right around Washington, D.C. on I-95 because the roads weren’t even plowed,” Keith Ebert told The Pilot. “There were really large piles of snow in each lane about 5 to 6 inches tall.”
Growing up in New England, Joanne Ebert said the two of them “knew snow,” and judged the weather wasn’t bad enough to stop their 2022 Honda CRV from making it home. But the couple got off I-95 and headed toward Route 1 to avoid the upcoming traffic.
“We were going pretty well, then all of a sudden, it started getting backed up again,” said Joanne Ebert, 70. “I told my husband ‘I bet you money we’re not the only ones that were on I-95 that got off it.’ So we ended up in Route 1 south in gridlock again.”
For two hours, the couple traveled along Route 1 and back roads before they decided to look for a place to stay around 11 p.m., Joanne Ebert said.
“We stopped at a Hampton Inn but in the area that we were in they had no power. They were nice enough to let us use the bathroom,” she said. “But we just had to get back in our car and figure out what we’re gonna do. So long story short, we ended up getting gas and back on I-95.”
Back on the interstate the two traveled at a snail’s pace. Luckily, they had enough snacks and water to last the 12- to 15-hour delay. Although the two tried not to drink anything to avoid another off-road detour.
While the Eberts traveled south, 27-year-old Keith Teague was headed from North Carolina toward his home in Fairfax in his 2010 Mazda when traffic came to a standstill. The normally 8-hour trip turned into a 13-hour ordeal. Teague was travelling alone but said he “got to know his neighbors” since they were all stuck together.
“This morning and late last night — once we all realized we’re not going anywhere — people started to share,” Teague said. “I got to know my neighbors, in the cars around me and see if they need anything because I did have food and some water. We were just shooting the breeze.”
Teague, who previously lived in Hampton Roads, had finished a hunting trip in North Carolina and had plenty of of supplies to spare and ways to keep warm. Before Virginia State Police and emergency crews were on scene, he even helped the driver of an 18-wheeler dig the snow out from around the truck so the driver could get on his way.
Other than that a few snow plows that passed by during the day, Teague said there wasn’t a heavy presence of police officers or VDOT officials in either direction. Although he was frustrated that he was still stuck Tuesday morning, he said he doesn’t blame emergency crews for the severe delay.
“People are going to blame VDOT, but I can only imagine how many tractor trailers were stuck and how many cars ran out of gas,” Teague said.
Virginia State Police responded to more than 2,000 calls for service across the state during Monday’s storm, excluding those stuck on I-95. .
“People are going to blame who they want to blame but it’s freaking weather,” Teague said. “There’s a lot of stuff that we just can’t control about it so don’t rail on them too hard.”
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Although they were traveling in opposite directions, the two motorists managed to weather the storm. Both Teague and the Eberts reached their destinations around noon Tuesday.
“I guess the only thing you can say is that you can be upset, but nothing can you do about it,” Joanne Ebert said. “You just have to have patience and go with it and pray.”
“We’ve been doing a lot of praying,” her husband echoed.
Lyndon German, frederick.german@virginamedia.com