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Weather Alert

Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Peak heat index values up to near 105.

* WHERE...All of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western
Kentucky, and southeast Missouri.

* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ this evening.

* IMPACTS...Prolonged hot temperatures and high humidity may cause
heat illnesses.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of
the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose
fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning
or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and
heat stroke.

&&

U.S. 51 North of De Soto back open after sinkhole forms

  • Updated
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IDOT has been working hard on Route 51 ever since a sinkhole developed on May 2nd.

Our team is following updates about that Sinkhole on Route 51 in De Soto. That section of Route 51 is now open for traffic.

Our team is following updates about that Sinkhole on Route 51 in De Soto.ÌýThat section of Route 51 is now open for traffic.Ìý

Nikki Doty owns Ace of Fades Hair Parlor offÌýofÌýRoute 51 in De Soto.ÌýShe says with the road open againÌýherÌýextra 30-minute commute will be no longer.Ìý

“TonightÌý±õÌýthink I will be able to go straight home,ÌýsuperÌýexcited. It takes me about 10 minutesÌýwhen IÌýgo straight home,â€Ì�Doty said.Ìý

The roadÌýis pavedÌýwhere a sinkhole on Route 51 used to be, and now IDOT says they have a few more construction steps to complete before the road is back open for public use.Ìý

Robb Graeff with IDOT says it was a fast process.Ìý

â€ÂÙo we have to do some cleanupÌýandÌýif weather permits,Ìýwe'reÌýgonna strip it and open it back up for the public by close of business today,â€Ì�Graeff said.

Robb Graeff, with IDOT, says crews have been working hard since Monday toÌýget readyÌýfor this weekend.Ìý

â€�We'veÌýgot all this accomplished in four days. So,Ìýit'sÌýbeen in a pretty aggressive schedule,â€Ì�Graeff said.Ìý

And the road is opening up just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.Ìý

â€�We'reÌýgonnaÌýtake down all the message boards.ÌýWe'reÌýgonnaÌýremove the type three barricades, thereÌýwill be no more detours in placeÌýsoÌýeveryone should be happy,â€Ì�Graeff said.

While Dotty is excited for business to get back to normal. OthersÌýlike Tyrese Pickett are getting ready to travel for the holiday weekend.Ìý

â€Àát can be difficultÌýdue to everyoneÌýtrying to get to where theyÌýhave toÌýbe.ÌýYou never know what takes place on that highway,â€Ì�Pickett said.Ìý

GraeffÌýsays theyÌýare expectingÌýa higher volume of traffic and will have crews open up some of theÌýroads that are currently closedÌýbutÌýI-57 will still have road construction.Ìý

â€�We have a drop-off policy that, weÌýcan'tÌýmake it safe for the motoring public to open the lanes back up,Ìýwe'llÌýcertainly keep that closed,â€Ì�Graeff said.

IDOT reminds people to stay safe during their travels.ÌýÌý

â€ÂÙo we encourage drivers to be extremely diligent on holidays like this because the more people you get in a congested area, the odds do go up,â€Ì�Graeff says.Ìýâ€�So please, no distracted driving, obviously no drunk driving.â€Ì�

Graeff says IDOT sent a memoÌýoutÌýto its contractors telling them to pull someÌýof theÌýlane closures that traffic could move through.ÌýThose roads will be open for the holiday weekend.Ìý