Awaiting season’s first main storm, Central Illinois residents urged to remain dwelling, or change journey plans

PEORIA (25News Now) – Peoria’s public works division is advising residents to remain dwelling or change their journey plans with forecasts for heavy, accumulating snow.

At 7 p.m. Friday, metropolis crews begin working 12-hour, around-the-clock shifts, initially pretreating hills and overpasses with brine, and neighborhood streets with salt.

When snow begins to fall, the work shifts to plowing and salting important arterial routes, which is the town’s high precedence in the course of the storm, in response to a metropolis information launch.

Plowing of residential areas will begin after an accumulation of at the very least two inches of snow and as soon as important routes have been cleared. The metropolis is imposing its parking ban on emergency snow routes.

City officers supplied the next recommendation:

“Public Works strongly encourages residents to stay home on Saturday and adjust travel plans as needed. Those who must travel should allow extra time, drive cautiously, and watch for plow trucks as snow fighters work to maintain mobility and restore safe travel conditions.”

State officers supplied comparable phrases of warning.

“While we are prepared and ready to devote all of our resources to the latest winter weather event, this weekend’s storm will hit when millions of people are returning home from the holiday,” mentioned Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi.

“Please make a plan to keep you and your loved ones safe, including adjusting travel so you are not on the roads when conditions are at their worst,” Biagi mentioned.

Illinois State Police Division of Patrol Col. Chris Owen mentioned, “Think about whether driving is really necessary. Depending on the amount of snow and road conditions, if your vehicle becomes disabled, troopers can help you get to a safe place, but your vehicle will have to wait. Is it worth it?”

Statewide, IDOT mentioned it has virtually 1,900 vans and tools to unfold salt, plow snow, and reply to weather-related emergencies.

IDOT supplied the next ideas:

• Fill up your gasoline tank or absolutely cost your automobile and pack winter climate necessities, equivalent to a cellphone charger, traction supplies, heat garments, blankets, meals, bottled water, first-aid equipment, washer fluid and ice scraper. ​
• Give them distance. Obey the Move Over regulation by slowing down and altering lanes when approaching ANY stopped automobile.
• Always put on a seat belt. It’s the regulation and your finest safety within the occasion of a crash.
• Drop it and drive. Put down the cell gadgets. This, too, is the regulation.
• If you might be concerned in a crash, stay inside your automobile. Exiting it throughout inclement climate with lowered visibility can have deadly penalties.

For present winter street situations click on here. IDOT will also be adopted Facebook and X.

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