WASHINGTON — Many commuters at the Franconia-Springfield Metro station ran into a major headache as drivers became stuck trying to leave the parking garage Wednesday night. Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said they learned of the problem when customers began tweeting and text messaging transit police. Stessel said the issue seems to have originated from snow piles blocking lanes of nearby roadways outside of the parking garage, which caused traffic inside the garage to become backed up. “We did get a tweet from a customer who actually decided to abandon her car and just walked home and that led us to lift the overnight parking restrictions at Franconia-Springfield,” Stessel said.
@wmata After stuck in Franconia parking lot for 1 hour, I ditched the car and walked 2 miles home. Do I have to walk back to pick up my car?
— Jeannette Kimmel (@JeannetteKimmel) January 28, 2016
Many drivers took to Twitter to voice their frustrations and alert transit police of the issue.
@WTOPtraffic drove through earlier – inefficient snow plowing of lanes is all we could see was the problem. — The Cotton Thistle (@CottonThistle) January 28, 2016
@WTOPtraffic lanes leaving garage at Springfield metro are blocked by snow piles.
— KD (@kld_scifimom) January 28, 2016
@WTOPtraffic Took us 95 min to get out of garage. Lanes restricted d/t snow going towards and away from Metro. — Rachel de Morales (@RMoandMo) January 28, 2016
@wmata why are no cars leaving Franconia Springfield Metro garage ????
— Laurie (@lvof2is1) January 28, 2016
@MeaganNBCDC @dougkammerer yup, my husband waited 1.5 hours to get out of Springfield metro garage tonight. — nancy d (@worksy) January 28, 2016
Been stuck in Franconia metro’s parking garage for almost an hour. Anyone heard anything about what’s going on?
— Liz McConville (@LizMcConville1) January 28, 2016
Thinking about taxi so we can get home- #FAIL @wmata @ Franconia metro garage & @VaDOT for srrndg rd snow removal! 60 min now! @WTOPtraffic — Rachel de Morales (@RMoandMo) January 28, 2016
@nbcwashington I’ve been stuck at springfield metro for two hours!!
— Rosa Rosas (@angelwings12601) January 28, 2016
@WTOP what’s the deal with exiting the Franconia-Springfield Metro parking garage??? Haven’t moved in over an hour!!! — DJH (@ArlNoVA) January 27, 2016
@VaDOTNOVA please plow 289 east at Beulah intersection- causes back ups for miles can’t get out of Franconia Metro
— Leann (@PFWtr) January 27, 2016
I live a mile from Springfield metro can’t walk home because sidewalk not plowed. 1 hour in garage still probably an hour to go @wmata — John Fitzpatrick (@chongohead) January 28, 2016
@wmata What are you doing about Springfield metro garage?… hundreds of cars stuck for hours now. @WTOPtraffic
— Jeff Harrison (@JeffHarrison) January 28, 2016
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