Things Slowly Getting Back to Normal in Area

Warmer temperatures have helped start the departure of travelers stranded in Effingham, some since Sunday.

City EMA Director Kim Tegeler Wednesday afternoon said that the two warming centers in Effingham are being closed.  Tegeler said the location at the Effingham Performance Center is already closed, and said 12 people at the Ron Diehl Center were either waiting on a ride or are relocating to a motel room.  She said close to 500 people were housed in the two warming centers on Tuesday night.  The warming centers were a cooperative venture involving EMA, Red Cross, the EPC, the Park District and local volunteers.

The big holdup for many was the state police tow ban on vehicles along interstate highways.  The ban directed tow vehicles to move stranded vehicles off the roadway but nothing more due to the volume of vehicles being dealt with.  The tow ban has been lifted in Fayette County, but is still in effect elsewhere in our listening area.

One listener reported I-70 was in much better shape west of Vandalia, and that roads to the west seemed to be improving.  Another listener told us this morning that National Guardsmen are out on the interstate offering assistance.

The IDOT "Getting Around Illinois" website indicates I-57 and I-70 are both still snow and ice-covered through Effingham County.  The worst part of I-70 is in Effingham County, statewide.  I-57 is snow and ice-covered north past Charleston and south past Salem.