Truckers and other motorists had to contend with difficult driving conditions Thursday in several states as snow caused a 100-vehicle pileup in the Midwest and high winds toppled trucks in the South.
Authorities said a major pileup occurred on Interstate 39 not far from Peoria. Authorities report the collision began at about 3:15 p.m. Thursday, causing a 17-mile stretch of the interstate from Normal to Minock to be closed for at least 12 hours.
The accident is being blamed on heavy snowfall and windy conditions causing limited visibility.
Posts on numerous social media outlets show a number of tractor-trailers involved in collisions.
Illinois State Police in Metamora this morning reported I-39 was closed in both directions from milepost 5 to milepost 22.
Several other Illinois interstates also had weather-related problems Thursday. Interstate 74 eastbound near Champaign was completely blocked by a crash involving several jack-knifed semitrailers.
Interstate 55 was also the scene of multiple crashes between Bloomington and Dwight. Interstates 57 and 80 also had multiple crashes that snarled traffic during Thursday's evening commute.
In Indiana, all lanes of part of Interstate 65 northbound at mile marker 213.7 were closed today at 4:34 a.m. after a semi lost two steel coils and ran off the highway. Indiana State Police said the accident caused an 8-mile backup.
Elsewhere, the City of Adamsville, Alabama northwest of Birmingham reported a tractor-trailer overturned on Interstate 22 near the West Jefferson exit. Another was reported to have overturned in one of the city’s industrial areas. Minor injuries are reported to have occurred in each mishap.
Several tornadoes were reported in Alabama Thursday.
Meanwhile, forecasters are warning of two major storms that could cause even more problems Monday and Tuesday of next week. The first is expected to bring snow across the northern tier of the country and rain to the South on Monday. On Wednesday, a storm is forecast to push from the southern Plains in the Northeast, delivering snow, rain, and possible flooding
Current view I-65 NB 213.7 mm courtesy Trp. Robertson pic.twitter.com/3FndMTyr8Q
— Sgt. Glen Fifield (@ISPLowell2) February 18, 2022
