Dust storm emerges in central Illinois, parts of I-55 closed

Joey Schneider
·1 min read

MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. – Illinois State Police have warned of a dust storm along Interstate 55 in central Illinois.

The dust storm has formed near milepost 155 in McLean County, near Blommington, McLean and other nearby communities.

ISP says I-55 is closed in both directions until further notice. Drivers are being rerouted to alternate routes, including…

  • Northbound traffic is being rerouted onto Route 136 eastbound, Route 51 northbound and I-74 westbound

  • Southbound traffic is being rerouted onto I-74 eastbound, Route 51 southbound and Route 136 westbound.

If you end up in a dust storm during your commutes, police are asking you to pull off the road as far as possible, stop your car, turn off all lights, and set your emergency brake. People in this situation are also asked to stay in the car with their seatbelts on.

Last year, a dust storm on Interstate 55 turned deadly near Montgomery County, Illinois. More than 72 vehicles were involved in collisions. Six people were killed and 37 others were injured.

This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.

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