Shifting gears back to reality after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend can be difficult, but the weather can certainly make it even harder.
At the time of publication, Vermilion County and many others in Illinois and Indiana are under a winter storm warning. The National Weather Service issued the warning starting at 12:20 p.m. on Friday, running until 6 a.m. Sunday morning and it is calling for 5-8 inches of heavy snow from Winter Storm Bellamy.
AAA said earlier that around 82 million Americans were traveling this holiday weekend, with around 73 million of those people driving.
Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. is traveling himself. He stressed the need for people to have patience.
“If at all possible, do not park in the streets so that we can make sure that we get roadways cleared out as quickly as possible,” Williams said. “Although we’re going to work our way through all areas, we concentrate on the main thoroughfares first, because that’s what everyone accesses. So just know that it may be a little bit, but we will get to you. And if, for some reason … late in the day, you still haven’t seen anyone, please call public works.”
Paul Wappel with IDOT reiterated that patience is key.
“IDOT has crews out and about. We’re ready to go. We have salt, we have staff. But, you know, when you’ve got millions of people returning home from holidays, after Thanksgiving and everything, we ask you to make a plan to keep your loved ones safe,” Wappel said. “Pack an emergency kit, pack a load of patience, to give yourself plenty of time, and space distance between yourself and other vehicles.”
Inside an emergency kit, Wappel said to have, “a cell phone charger, winter washer fluid, bottled water, food, blankets, an ice scraper, and a cell phone.”
He added that part of staying safe is making sure to obey the law.
“Always wear a seat belt. It’s the law. It’s your best protection if you’re in a crash,” Wappel said. “And if you are involved in a crash, remain inside your vehicle because exiting during inclement weather with reduced visibility could have, you know, fatal consequences. So again, if you’re in a crash, remain in your vehicle. Call 911, as soon as you’re able.”
If you are driving on Saturday or Sunday, Wapell said to remember to give the snowplows space.
“Please don’t crowd the plow,” Wapell said. “One, the road in front of the plow is not going to be better than a road behind the plow.
“Secondly, these plows, snow plows, are a big piece of equipment. You may see them, but the operator may not see you, especially if there’s blowing snow or drifting snow, or whatever it might be, removing snow from the roads. So keep that in mind, to try not to pass them.”
Wapell said a driver’s decisions can have life-or-death impacts.
“Unfortunately, we have a lot of incidents, more incidents throughout the winter than we did last year, and obviously, we hope we don’t have any, but we just want to remind people, please don’t crowd the plow for those reasons.”
Before you hit the road to any events on Saturday and Sunday, check to make sure they are still on.
Illinois State University will be closing its campus on Saturday due to the winter storm. This closure is forcing the IHSA to postpone the 2025 IHSA Football State Finals. The games were set to take place at the Hancock Stadium on the campus in Normal. All State Championship games for Class 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A are being postponed to a later date and time.
“The postponement of the IHSA Football State Finals is unprecedented in the state playoffs’ 51-year history,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “All of the competing teams in Class 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A have been alerted that their state championship games will not be played on November 29, but that they will be played in the coming days. We appreciate the patience and understanding of these schools and communities as we work to determine the best and safest solution to rescheduling these contests and crowning state champions in our four largest classes.”