KINGMAN, AZ — Rhonda Bicknell spoke with ABC15 Wednesday night as she and many others were caught in a standstill for nearly five hours on I-40.
Wednesday's winter storm caused a road closure from Kingman to Flagstaff.
"Do they see us sitting here all night? Or do they have a plan to get us at least to Ash Fork where people can get fuel and, you know, use the facilities? Then, are we expected to stay there? Or, do they have better plans? Yeah, so that's my question," asked Bicknell.
She was one of the dozens of people stuck in the traffic jam.
"Basically, we're sitting on a hill, kind of on a downward trajectory, which is why the accidents all happened around us. I think there was an accident down at the bottom of the hill and I think it was kind of a bit of a, you know, chain reaction. Then there's, you know, accidents behind us and to the side of us," says Bicknell.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says highways will reopen when it's safe for travel.
Crews are working to make that happen, but some might have to remain on the highway overnight if conditions don't improve.
Some people who spoke with ABC15 came prepared, traveling with electric coolers that plug into vehicles.
Others, like Kaitlyn Lovitt, were unaware of the severity of the situation.
"We were not prepared at all today. We did not realize that the storm was coming," said Lovitt, who is stuck in Kingman.
She was coming from Lake Havasu to Kingman to pick up her cat from an emergency veterinarian.
"It was scary. We slid a couple of times and after we slid the last time, we decided... alright, it's time to pull into a motel. We got to stay safe," says Lovitt.
ADOT says on US 93 near Kingman, many vehicles were on the shoulder or stopped in the right lane creating a backup.
Crews and Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers have been checking on those drivers, trying to get them to drive into town so things can clear up.
"Unknown things are always scary, right? So yeah, I mean, there's that. But I guess I was just thinking, at least we're not alone out here. There's definitely a law enforcement presence," says Bicknell.
