Audit: Virginia Failed Prior Council Before I-95 Gridlock

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia government failed to implement numerous lessons from a 2018 blizzard that caused gridlock on highways, as a similar event along Interstate 95 shows. in January that left hundreds of motorists stranded, a state watchdog office concluded.

The report from the Office of the Inspector General, released Friday, criticized the performance of state transportation, police and emergency management agencies during the severe snowstorm that began Jan. 3, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. informed.

Congestion along a 40-mile (65-kilometer) stretch of I-95 in both directions not far from the nation’s capital has sparked outrage among motorists, some of whom were trapped in their vehicles overnight and begged Help on social media.

In April, a state-commissioned report created by a nonprofit group placed no blame on any particular person or agency. But it found that state agencies collectively “lost situational awareness” and was unable to keep up with growing gridlock through a confluence of heavy snow, abnormally high traffic and COVID-19-related staffing shortages. Up to 11 inches (28 cm) of snow fell in the area.

Friday Performance Audit mentioned many of the same issues, but the I-95 mess could have been avoided if state officials had taken the precautionary measures recommended by the Virginia DOT after a late 2018 blizzard blocked traffic on the Interstate 81, in the extreme southwest of Virginia. Those recommendations included planning for more severe storms than anticipated and effectively communicating those dangers to citizens.

“They have to prepare for when things go wrong and they don’t get what they expect,” said Ben Sutphin, audit manager for the I-95 investigation.

The state’s communication to the public about the seriousness of road hazards was ineffective or misleading, according to the report. Drivers also underestimated the dangers due to mild weather over the New Year’s weekend before the storm. The report specifically cited a message to stranded motorists that “state and locals are coming ASAP with supplies and to move you.”

The lack of backup power for the state Department of Transportation’s highway cameras also made it difficult to monitor road conditions, according to the report.

The inspector general did not blame the then governor. Ralph Northam for failing to declare a state of emergency prior to the storm “because the forecast event…did not rise to the level to issue an emergency declaration.” Northam, a Democrat, was in the final days of his administration, and Republican Glenn Youngkin took office less than two weeks later.

US Senator Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, who was also caught in the gridlock, said Friday that he hopes the report’s recommendations will be followed up. “We should always apply the lessons learned to improve the safety of Virginians.”

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