Ice made travel treacherous in Central Illinois early Tuesday. (WJBC photo)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Freezing rain caused icy roads and a rough morning commute for Central Illinois travelers on Tuesday.
Police responded to a series of accidents. McLean County Sheriff's Office issued a collision alert until further notice.
Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities delayed their openings along with many other colleges. Unit 5 and District 87 canceled classes and a number of businesses, including State Farm, delayed their openings.
McLean County Highway Garage maintenance supervisor Mark Lake said his crews were out salting its more than 200 miles of roads starting at about 3:15 a.m.
"It's going to take the salt a little bit of time to activate but they should be getting decent by the time the majority of traffic gets on there," Leake said.
Bloomington Public Works Director Jim Karch advises drivers to go slow or stay off the roads if possible.
"Even the driveways are a sheet of ice, if that's any indication of the (condition) of the side roads," Karch said adding several salt trucks were having trouble navigating the icy roads.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. for McLean County and much of Central Illinois.
The National Weather Service says periods of light freezing rain and sleet will continue through the morning. The weather service says rainfall amounts are light, but there is enough icing to produce dangerous driving conditions, especially on secondary roads, bridge decks and overpasses.
Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing by late morning, reaching a high temperature of 38.
Check Illinois road conditions here and cancellations here.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
