NC Bound Spring 2013: March 20th-- The Rock Slide

Driving through the mountains, I have seen the occasional big rock by the side of the road and even, on occasion, the aftermath of a rock slide, but I had never seen a rock slide right after it happened.  But today, I saw my first one.

About MM 4 in West Virginia. on I-77,  I rounded a bend and saw a lot of flashing emergency lights.  Getting closer, I saw a lot of big rocks and earth on the northbound lanes.  Unfortunately, at 65 mph, I didn't get a real good look.  I hate gapers, but this time I might have been one myself had I had more time for it to sink in.

Traffic was backed up northbound for the next 4 miles.  Of course, right at the Va.-W. Va. line, there is a rather long tunnel.  Northbound was backed up to within a few hundred yards of the tunnel.  Once through it, the backup continued on the Virginia side for another four miles, or until I got off at the Virginia welcome center.

According to the people at the desk, it had just occurred an hour before I came by.  I hadn't seen wrecked cars or trucks while passing it, so luckily, there were no injuries or deaths.  I picked up brochures for Galax, Virginia and the Crooked Road Tour as well as a bunch of Civil War ones.

I later saw a video of the slide happening and emergency vehicles were at the scene, so they must have been expecting it.  Traffic was detoured at W. Va. Exit 1 to US-460 and rejoined I-77 at Exit 0.  It took place about 10 AM.

Glad I Wasn't Northbound.  --RoadDog