SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is alerting motorists that travel may be impacted by freezing rain and sleet today through Sunday.
The National Weather Service is expecting ice to accumulate in many areas of Illinois, particularly the southern half of the state, starting Friday morning. Ice accumulation of at least 0.25 inches is forecast in the southwestern part of the state, creating hazardous driving conditions.
“Whenever a winter storm is forecast, you should ask yourself if your trip is necessary before heading out,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “We will be out making sure the roads are as safe as possible, but icy conditions may make roads slick this weekend. Give our crews plenty of room to work and please slow down if you will be driving.”
Crews have been pretreating bridges, overpasses and ramps – the areas most susceptible to icing – in advance of the expected freezing rain and sleet. More than 3,700 employees and 1,700 trucks will be available statewide to battle the winter storm this weekend, applying salt where needed.
If you have to travel:
• Leave plenty of extra time to get to your destination.
• Take it slow, especially when approaching intersections, ramps, bridges, and shady areas.
• Make sure your gas tank is full.
• Keep a cell phone, warm clothes, blankets, food, water, a first aid kit, washer fluid, and an ice scraper in your vehicle.
• Check the forecast and make sure someone is aware of your travel route and schedule.
• Always wear a seat belt, whether you’re sitting in the front seat or back seat. It’s the law.
• Visit www.gettingaroundillinois.com and follow IDOT on Facebook and Twitter for road condition updates.
I thought this was an Illinois politics blog, not a weather blog. I don’t think this is the first place even Illinois conservatives would look for weather information. What’s next, sports?
Our downstate readers are affected by this weather alert, and we’re passing on a press release sent to us by the Illinois Department of Transportation as a public service announcement.
It’s not uncommon for weather situations to become political ones, as you may recall – or perhaps you may not recall, as your “second generation” memory may not have the benefit our more experienced readers may store in their memory banks.
Thanks for expressing your opinion, however. Our readers are diverse in viewpoints and experience.
Thanks for the snarky response. I have lived in the Chicago area my entire life and my memory banks remember how weather events can become political. But that doesn’t occur until AFTER the event happens and involves the response, or lack thereof, by public officials to the weather situation.
Are you prescient and know that Rauner will mismanage the response to the storm?
I look forward to all future Illinois weather warnings on this blog.
Thanks for the heads up,
I’m headed to Kankakee County tomorrow – or maybe I’m not now – I hadn’t heard about this weather.
You whine like a Chicago liberal. You saw the title of the article and you didn’t have to read it; no one made you. Since this must be a PMS day(pi** and moan day) for you, take your pills, go to your safe place & stop trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. And stop whining over nothing; your victimization act is asinine.
IR, I appreciate you passing on the IDOT report.
Her standard reply is “snarky response”, “snide comment”, etc. Most people would, of course, skipped past the article if they didn’t want to read about weather. But just like an ingrate complaining about a gift they didn’t like it whines about a weather article. I hope it will feel free to refrain from commenting in the future.