Drivers Face Doubled Travel Times in Rush Hour Chaos (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Washington D.C. area – Massive ice accumulations from a recent winter storm lingered on key roadways nearly two weeks later, transforming routine drives into prolonged battles for commuters across Maryland, Virginia, and the District.[1][2]
Drivers Face Doubled Travel Times in Rush Hour Chaos
Commuters described scenes of gridlock as ice piles devoured entire lanes, forcing vehicles into narrow central paths. One Beltway driver reported losing the first lane on the left and one on the right, sparking major backups. “A week and a half since the snowstorm, and there’s no sign that there’s been any effort to clear it, melt it or anything, which is really frustrating,” she told reporters.[1]
WTOP Traffic Reporter Dave Dildine noted the issue centered on strategic bottlenecks. “It wasn’t widespread ice, it was piles of it at sensitive points in the road network,” he explained. “A merge lane crowded here, a turn lane covered there. But it all added up to tremendous recurring backups in certain places.” Many drivers saw their trips double in length, especially during morning and evening peaks.[1]…