Traffic was deadlocked for several hours Saturday at the Shoppes at Trace Fork not because of an accident, but an influx of shoppers.
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Traffic was deadlocked for several hours Saturday at the Shoppes at Trace Fork, not because of an accident, but an influx of shoppers.
Traffic began to back up in the shopping plaza off U.S. 119 about 3 p.m. Saturday and was still backed up as late as 7 p.m.
"It's completely deadlocked," motorist Carol Susman said.
Susman drove to the shopping center about 3 p.m. and was still stuck there around 6:30 p.m.
"I came here just wanting to return something to Target and Dudley Farms [Plaza]; I just never made it that far," she said.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens was also stuck in traffic for about 40 minutes in the shopping plaza.
Mullens said the shopping center is private property and police cannot intervene to direct traffic.
He said THF Realty, owners of the property, contracts with off-duty officers to handle traffic during the holiday season.
"Today is totally unexpected," he said.
"There's no rhyme or reason for it."
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Traffic was deadlocked for several hours Saturday at the Shoppes at Trace Fork, not because of an accident, but an influx of shoppers.
Traffic began to back up in the shopping plaza off U.S. 119 about 3 p.m. Saturday and was still backed up as late as 7 p.m.
"It's completely deadlocked," motorist Carol Susman said.
Susman drove to the shopping center about 3 p.m. and was still stuck there around 6:30 p.m.
"I came here just wanting to return something to Target and Dudley Farms [Plaza]; I just never made it that far," she said.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens was also stuck in traffic for about 40 minutes in the shopping plaza.
Mullens said the shopping center is private property and police cannot intervene to direct traffic.
He said THF Realty, owners of the property, contracts with off-duty officers to handle traffic during the holiday season.
"Today is totally unexpected," he said.
"There's no rhyme or reason for it."
People have been cooped up all winter, and it's also the day before Valentine's Day, Mullen said.
"Everyone just migrated out there," he said.
But Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said, "Cupid would not go out there."
He also said the traffic backups caused Kanawha County Metro 911 dispatchers to be "slammed with calls."
Although it was not his problem, Carper said Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford pulled four Kanawha County deputies "off the road to go bail them out."
Carper said the traffic tie-up presented a hazard because the stalled vehicles would not permit an emergency vehicle to get through.
Susman said she tried to get into traffic, but gave up and decided to wait it out in Target and surrounding stores.
"I'm maybe one of the lucky people," she said. "I'm sure there are people that have been here longer than me."
Susman said traffic appeared to be deadlocked from the South Charleston Memorial Ice Rink, to Lowe's and to the main road through the shopping center.
"It's not moving all," she said. "Cars are just sitting there."
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:) and that's YOURSELF:)
You aren't fooling anybody...If you have ever eaten McDonald's, Taco Bell or bought groceries at Kroger, you ARE just as into the "BIG WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS" as EVERYONE caught in the traffic nightmare at Trace Fork. You are NO DIFFERENT than anyone else. You need to sit down on that SOAP BOX you jumped up on and take a good long look at yorself.....
Better yet, there's plenty of money to justify building another roadway in and out, or widening existing roads.