latest list of road closures

LaSalle County E M A has issued this list around 5pm Saturday:

Road closures for LaSalle County include the following:
1) County Highway 34 (Dee Bennett Road) between Ottawa and Utica.
2) County Highway 51 (Canal Road) between Ottawa and Marseilles.
3) County Highway 63 (Bottom Road) in Peru from IL 251 west to county line.
4) County Highway 36 (DuPont Road) from IL 170 east to the county line.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has these road closures:
1) The IL 178 bridge at Utica is closed.
2) Rt. 351 in LaSalle bridge is closed.
3) Rt. 71 west of Ottawa is closed from Fosse Road to Starved Rock.
4) Rt. 251 bridge at Oglesby is closed.
5) Rt. 89 in Bureau County is also closed at Illinois River Bridge.

missing Peru woman 11:45 am Sun

 A water rescue team is searching the west side of Route 351 South of LaSalle today for Nancy Greening of Peru. Sgt. Robert “Hank” Frazier, with the Conservation police, confirmed this to AM 1220 WLPO news. Her daughter, Denise Harper – posting on Facebook – said Greening was last seen at 3pm Friday on the Ed Hand highway driving a White Pontiac Montana mini-van. She failed to return home. A News Tribune aerial shot located the vehicle on a curve north of Shippingsport bridge – but the road is now covered by the rushing Illinois River. Frazier said the rescue team is covering an area from Shippingsport to the canal bridge. He also said a state police helicopter searched the wooded area to see if they might find someone in the trees. Frazier said the current is making the water rescue team’s work difficult and hinted the search could take a few days.

Depue Village

Eric Bryant, Depue Village President is asking  residents to limit their use of water.  The wastewater treatment plant is, according to Bryant, working at maximum capacity processing storm runoff as well as the normal waste water.

Leonore blacktop open

Leonore blacktop – County Highway 5 – between Leonore and Route 23 is now entirely open.

Red Cross shelter at IVCC open but not being used

Sarah Stasik of the Illinois Valley Red Cross reports the flood victims shelter at IVCC is closing at 5 today.  They have had very little traffic today.

Ottawa store employees collecting items for flood victims

          Household cleaners, buckets, and drinking water are some of the things you can drop off at Rent-A-Center in Ottawa.  Employees of the store have been collecting items like bleach and canned fruit and soup for people affected by the flooding.

          They’ll deliver the donations to local rescue and fire departments.  They are not taking money.  You’ll find the store and their donation station across from Walmart in Ottawa.

Sandbags protected Peru’s wastewater plant

           Volunteers filling sandbags were able to protect Peru’s east end wastewater treatment plant.  Employees and volunteers were at the plant Friday night as the Illinois River crested.  Mayor Scott Harl says it stayed dry. 

          Sandbags also protected the city’s electric substation on Water Street.  He says they’re fortunate given the damage caused by flooding in Ottawa, Utica and Marseilles.

          If you live in Peru and flooding or water caused you problems, there’s a public forum at 6pm Monday at city hall.

Hear more from Mayor Harl by listening to an interview at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

 

Illinois River has crested

The Illinois River is receding but it will be a few days before it goes below the severe flooding stage.  A new record crest was set at 34.4 feet Friday night near La Salle, topping the previous record of 33.8 feet set in 2008.

As of late Saturday morning, the river was at 34.3 feet and was predicted to stay within the severe flooding stage through Tuesday.

Flooding has closed most of the bridges over the river including routes 251, 351, 89, and 178.  Interstate 39 and Route 23 bridges remain open.  Dee Bennet Road and Route 71 near Starved Rock are also closed.  The Route 18 bridge at Henry was closed Saturday morning.