Frustrated drivers spend the night after the winter storm on I-40 west of Flagstaff Phoenix Traffic

WILLIAMS, AZ (3TV / CBS 5) – Drivers were stranded on Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff overnight after winter weather caused the highway to be closed.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Interstate 40 to the west was closed around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday near Williams. At that point, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) stated that there had been five collisions on Interstate 40 and that ice on the road was a problem.

Travelers in the area took to Twitter to voice their concerns after some of them spent the night on the freeway. One user tweeted at 6 a.m. telling ADOT that she’d been on the freeway since 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Arizona’s family contacted the Arizona Department of Transportation regarding the situation. “We know exactly what people have been through,” said Laurie Merrill, ADOT public information officer. “The best information we can say is to have emergency equipment in your car, please. And most importantly, to stay informed.”

“We did what we always did, get the news out early and it will be snowy,” Merrill continued. “There could be closings, it could take a long time for drivers to be on the highways. And we keep them informed on various social media platforms. We have motorway signs, we have geofence warnings, press releases. We have that for this storm done. ” I think the reason this storm might have been a little unusual could be the rapid amount of snowfall, the short time, and the large buildup. “

We’ve been here since 8 p.m. last night. Guys, that’s irresponsible. I can’t imagine families with young children without food, water, or blankets in their cars. There should be a plan to reroute traffic and remove it from the road when such things happen. SMH

– Counselor_Ocampo (@counselorocampo) March 14, 2021

Considering i40 has been closed for more than 12 hours … isn’t it time to get further help if the crews haven’t been able to fix the slides and accidents by now? People are running out of fuel and some have not had food or water in a long time …

– Carine Werner (@MrsWernerAZ) March 14, 2021

Since you weren’t allowed to sit in your car all night, enjoy this picture of the sunrise over your 50 mile traffic jam. pic.twitter.com/L563gmsxSr

– Chris Gross (@ ChrisGross19) March 14, 2021

Several drivers called the Arizona Family Newsroom overnight to share their safety concerns. Precious, a traveler from Texas, said it was pitch black on Interstate 40 and she was running out of gas. A 79-year-old woman called and told our newsroom that she was cold, had nothing to eat and that DPS was driving past her but not providing any updates or information.

While travelers say they value all the ways to access information, they wish there was more information to access. “If you’re really clearing the streets, post some pictures,” said Carine Werner of Scottsdale. “Just do something so we can have a clear picture. Because it was just super vague in our minds.”

ADOT responded to frustrated travelers all night, promising to use whatever resources available.

“We have more than 400 plow operators and 200 plows; they work around the clock,” said Merrill. “They plow the snow, they de-ice afterwards. We have had situations where it was difficult for them to get through because so many cars were on their shoulders. We ask drivers not to park on their shoulders, we also ask them to respect the plow, to be four lengths behind and never to pass a plow. “

“We had residual backups because when you have extended closings and significant numbers of cars being backed up,” Merrill continued. “It takes longer for them to relax and for the traffic to run smoothly.”

North tomorrow? Pack a winter driving set with a fully charged cell phone and extra blankets. More tips: https://t.co/hcbX4E0GWJ # I40 # I17 #Flagstaff #aztraffic Don’t let unplanned incidents surprise you. Get the ADOT Alerts app: https://t.co/jUswK20GTJ https: // t. co / ZhllXUTFdB

– Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) March 15, 2021

Both directions of Interstate 40 reopened in the area on Sunday morning. Check the current traffic conditions here.