The North Carolina National Guard was deployed to help clear the highway.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A minor crash has snowballed into a major traffic incident on Interstate 85 North in Kannapolis.
After a small collision occurred near exit 60 for Dale Earnhardt Boulevard, dozens of tractor-trailers had to slow down to attempt to maneuver around it. However, the slowdown has chilled the roads.
Over 30 tractor-trailers and more than 70 cars are now trapped on the highway, according to North Carolina state troopers.
Due to the freezing temperatures and inches of snowfall, the large trucks can’t gain enough momentum to move along, keeping traffic at a glacial pace.
The National Guard has been called in to assist in clearing the roads. Six National Guard trucks were called, along with several large trucks from Cabarrus and surrounding counties.
About three hours after WCNC initially reported the pileup, traffic began to move again, around 8:40 p.m. This section of I-85 North is back open, however, drivers heading north should still be wary of wait times. The road was reopened around 9:30 p.m., but traffic impacts were still expected to be high.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol has also reported troopers have responded to 750 collisions from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
