Virginia interstate reopens after weather traps drivers

As of Tuesday morning, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., had been sitting in traffic for 19 hours trying to get to Washington, D.C. A 50-mile stretch of Virginia’s Interstate 95 came to a standstill in both directions on Monday after multiple tractor-trailers lost control in the ice and snow, triggering crashes that blocked roadways. Drivers and passengers sat in their cars for nearly 24 hours, occasionally turning off their vehicles to conserve gas. Local emergency crews worked throughout the night to deliver supplies to stranded motorists and respond to medical emergencies.

Are drivers OK now? Late Tuesday afternoon, the Virginia Department of Transportation tweeted that no one remained stranded on the highway, which fully reopened Tuesday night. Kaine said he eventually reached his office at the U.S. Capitol about 27 hours after setting out on what is normally a two-hour drive from Richmond, Va.

Dig deeper: Check the National Weather Service for the latest storm updates.