Commuters Trapped In I-495 Traffic By Crash Share Horror Stories

BETHESDA, MD — Washington-area drivers know what bad traffic looks like. But nothing could prepare them for the traffic from hell Thursday afternoon.

Around 2 p.m., a tanker truck overturned on I-495 near the American Legion Memorial Bridge and leaked an estimated 150 gallons of gasoline, prompting state officials to shut down multiple lanes along the Capital Beltway.

Emergency crews from both Maryland and Virginia spent hours cleaning up the gasoline spill, which shut down the left two lanes of the Outer Loop at the bridge. All lanes along the inner loop of I-495 were also closed, and did not reopen until 3 a.m. on Friday. For more than 12 hours, drivers were at a standstill, and brake lights stretched on for miles.

Dozens of motorists hopped on Twitter to give traffic updates or — understandably — vent frustration.

One man said it was one of the worst D.C. commutes in recent memory. Ranking at number one was the Woodrow Wilson Bridge jumper incident. In November of 1998, a Virginia man stood on the bridge for more than five hours, causing a major traffic backup. Thursday's incident, according to the commuter, took the No. 4 spot:

Worst DC commutes in recent memory:
1. Wilson Bridge would-be jumper - November 1998
2. Carmageddon - January 2011
3. Carmageddon 2 - January 2016
4. American Legion Bridge Tanker: March 2019

What am I missing? #dctraffic pic.twitter.com/uBm9VUOTx7
— Jay Mishkin (@jaymishkin) March 29, 2019

The effects of the tanker truck incident could be felt in parts of Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

A D.C.-area resident on the bus in Georgetown said it took 45 minutes to travel 2.5 miles.

#WisconsinAve is a MESS. Traveled exactly 2.5 miles in 45 minutes ⏱ Stay off the roads people, this “storm” ain’t passing anytime soon. #dctraffic #beltway @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/01Pql8rxl7
— Eliana Block (@ElianaBlock) March 28, 2019

It took this woman more than three-and-a-half hours to get from Bethesda, Md. to Rosslyn, Va.

It has taken this woman 3.5hrs to get from Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda to Rosslyn. GPS tells her she has another 45 mins to go to get to Old Town. (@wusa9) pic.twitter.com/eEhLkN3QMN
— John Henry (@JohnHenryWUSA) March 28, 2019

A video of the backup on the Beltway:

CrAZytOwN
RT @jackiebensen: Amazing. Semi trucks parked everywhere around the Beltway. Likely that tanker crash left them sitting in traffic so long operators risked exceeding DOT regs on max. hours driven @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/3BrrfbKUaO
— Kim (@ktwopines) March 29, 2019

Perhaps Elon Musk can help alleviate the region's traffic problems?

Can you please fix DC traffic next? We need it. @elonmusk #495accident
— Zain (@_ziggys_) March 29, 2019