Jackknifed tractor‑trailer temporarily shuts I‑495 inner loop in Oxon Hill

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the inner loop of I-495 at Livingston Road in Oxon Hill during icy conditions the morning of Jan. 25, prompting state police to temporarily close the Beltway and snarling the early commute for Prince George’s County drivers. Maryland State Police posted on X just before 5:45 a.m. that the crash closed all lanes on the inner loop. Officials later told DC News Now that lanes reopened to traffic at about 6:49 a.m.

No injuries were reported and no other vehicles were involved, according to DC News Now’s account of the Maryland State Police post. WUSA9 reported a related closure “near River Road,” noting that at one point two lanes and an exit ramp were blocked; that outlet also said it was unclear how long closures would last during active clearance operations. FOX5’s traffic feed described separate Beltway disruptions on other segments between Connecticut Avenue and Georgia Avenue, underscoring that multiple incidents and slow post-storm cleanup affected regional travel that morning.

The crash unfolded amid a regional winter storm that left roads snow-covered and temperatures well below freezing. Those conditions contributed to broader traffic strain: WUSA9 cited Virginia State Police data showing troopers had responded to 506 crashes as of 4 p.m. Monday, with 38 people injured. Local public works crews and highway teams were working in freezing temperatures to clear roadways, a process outlets described as slow and difficult in the storm’s aftermath.

The immediate community impact was a concentrated commute delay on a key freight and commuter corridor. Even a brief inner-loop closure on the Beltway can ripple outward, delaying morning commutes, local deliveries, and transit connections across the Washington region. Trucking reliability is especially sensitive to winter closures, and repeated Beltway incidents over the past year, including a July 10, 2025 crash that left a tractor-trailer dangling from an outer-loop bridge, point to recurring winter vulnerabilities on a heavily trafficked route.

For Prince George’s County officials and state highway planners, the event reinforces questions about winter maintenance resources and incident response times on critical arterials. Municipal practices such as Alexandria’s 24/7 plowing posture were noted in regional coverage as one approach to keep streets passable; county and state agencies may weigh similar staffing and equipment needs as storm frequency and severity evolve.

Lanes were cleared and reopened by mid-morning on Jan. 25, easing the immediate congestion. For residents, the episode is a reminder to monitor Maryland State Police traffic updates during winter storms and to expect slower cleanup times on the Beltway in freezing conditions as crews work to reopen lanes safely.