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Muddy fields create parking problems at State Fair

Posted at 6:02 PM, Oct 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-02 01:03:23-04

DOSWELL, Va. -- There was a six-mile backup on I-95 north in Hanover County near the Doswell exit Saturday evening because of traffic related to the State Fair of Virginia.

VDOT officials said no lanes of the interstate were closed, but that drivers should plan for delays around 3:50 p.m.

The six-mile back up remained around 5 p.m., but was down to about one mile as of 5:40 p.m. and had cleared by 6:30 p.m.

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"They weren't really going anywhere and it was still congested around mm 89," Jessica Harper said about the photo she snapped around 4:10 p.m. Saturday.

Earlier in the day WTVR CBS 6 received several phone calls about drivers being turned away from the state fair, but officials said it was a temporary issue because parking at Meadow Event Park was at capacity.

Kayla Marie Adamek said she went to the fair for a couple hours, but noted that it was very muddy.

Angie Leake-Osborne said she had a horrible experience.

"I just left and they were turning people away from getting inside the fair like 45 minutes ago," she wrote.

Beverly J Copeland pointed out that the parking area that are normally used could not be used because of the recent rains.

Stephanie Shaner Johnson, who said she arrived between 12 and 1 p.m. did not have any issues. But she said traffic got bad when the sun peeked out.

"Did see cars getting stuck in the mud," Johnson wrote. "Helped push one out and another had to be towed out."

Workers were in the process of opening additional parking spaces around 4:30 p.m., but said recent rains made that difficult because the ground was saturated and muddy.

Officials, who said the additional parking opened up around 6 p.m, stressed the park would be open until 11 p.m. Saturday.

Additionally, the state fair continues Sunday and while gates will close at 9 p.m., rides will run through 10 p.m.

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