PEORIA, Ill. – Plow crews in Peoria County will be working around the clock to keep roads as clear as possible during the first winter storm of the season.
Amy McLaren is an Engineer with the Peoria County Highway Department. She said this weather event makes their tasks more difficult because high winds are blowing snow right back onto roads that had just been cleared.
“We’re anticipating that we’re going to be chasing the same snow around for the next day or so with the winds blowing, we’ll have to be back out there just pushing it back open, fighting against those drifts we have out there,” McLaren said.
The effort includes snow plow trucks clearing roads and laying salt down. But she adds the dropping temperatures could make the salt less effective.
McLaren said the work is tougher in rural areas, where there isn’t a lot of things blocking the snow from entering the roadways.
She said dropping temperatures are another concern for rural roads.
“So we advise motorists to keep an eye out for that change in pavement color, like the transparent or black ice that might be out there as well,” McLaren said.
McLaren said there hasn’t been a need to close roads yet. But she said increased wind speeds in the evening could cause decreased visibility.
Central Illinois is under a Winter Storm Warning until Saturday at 6:00 A.M., with wind gusts as high as 50 MPH and wind chills as low as -40.
