SHARON, W.Va. — Finally.
Northbound traffic on the West Virginia Turnpike reopened at about 5:15 a.m. after southern West Virginia interstate was closed for about 8 hours beginning Thursday night.
Turnpike officials tell MetroNews it will take a substantial amount of time to clear a 12-mile back up of traffic.
The highway, I-77, first closed at around 9 p.m. Thursday flooding rains covered the northbound lanes with several feet of water near the Sharon exit in Kanawha County.
The traffic was backed up to close to the Mahan exit in Fayette County by 3:30 a.m. That’s about 12 miles.
Drivers who sat in traffic for hours were frustrated.
Former state Senate President Mitch Carmichael was one of them. He spoke to MetroNews as he sat in traffic early Friday morning.
“What in the world could cause this amount of delay?” Carmichael asked.
He said there was very little information available to the public.
Former MetroNews reporter Jake Flatley was also stuck in the northbound lanes.
“I’ve seen people get out. There are people sleeping their cars. People are out just walking around,” Flatley said.
There’s no word on possible damage to road.
This story will be updated.