Drivers snowed-in, trapped on I-95 overnight share food, resources with each other
FEDERICKSBURG, Va. (7News) — After a major winter storm hit the DC area, thousands of drivers trapped on I-95 in Fredericksburg, Virginia spent their Monday night in their cars.
Starved, tired and cold, the trapped drivers say they don't have any access to food and water.
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7News spoke with one of the drivers, Robert Repetti. He says he has been stuck since 1 p.m. Monday and only had a few pieces of chocolate and some water bottles in his car to keep him going.
Repetti says the drivers have made the interstate into a small community. They are sharing food and have started a discord chat, where they communicate privately with each other.
Other drivers tell 7News that most truck drivers travel with snacks and so they have been sharing them with those in need.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine tweeted early Tuesday morning that he's among the drivers stuck on I-95. He says he's been there for 19 hours.
He later updated on Twitter to say it's been 27 hours on the road.
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At 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, Kaine tweeted that he had arrived in D.C. after 27+ hours on the road and is "very happy to be back in the Capitol and working on voting rights legislation this afternoon."
Kaine said a family returning from Florida walked by in the middle of the night handing out oranges to those on the interstate.
VDOT said crews were on the scene working to guide drivers off at any available interchange. People are asked to avoid the area.
At 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, VDOT tweeted that "There are no people stranded still on I-95. Less than 20 vehicles left to be removed from the interstate before plow trains will come through to remove snow and ice from the travel lanes."
Gov. Ralph Northam said as crews work to help people stranded, the state is working with localities to open warming shelters for drivers.