Icy Gridlock

No, not in the US Senate. The greater Norfolk region received about half an inch of snow yesterday afternoon. No big deal, right? Wrong!

Although Wednesday’s forecast flurries lasted only about two hours, ending by dusk, the timing could not have been worse.

Snow quickly melted under the warm tires of passing cars, only to swiftly turn to ice, owing to the already frozen roadways and temperatures well below freezing.

[...]

Downtown Norfolk was near gridlock by 4:30 p.m. and stayed that way for more than three hours, with traffic stalled on St. Paul’s Boulevard, Brambleton Avenue, Hampton Boulevard, Colley Avenue and Olney Road, among others.

My office is in downtown Norfolk, and when I left at 5:30, it was pretty clear that:

My wife wasn't going to make it downtown to pick me up

The bus wasn't going to get out of downtown to take me home.

So I started walking. With cars sliding all over the road (when they were moving at all), I walked on. Through the snow. Determined. Must. Get. Home. For. Gin. &. Tonic.

Two hours and 8 miles later, I trudged up the front steps. The bus from downtown had still not arrived at the stop near my house. In fact, it was nowhere in sight.

More flurries are predicted for tonight and this weekend. Last week temps were in the 70s most days (that's the 20s to the pocket protector crowd).