Transportation

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Champaign council addresses street confusion

CHAMPAIGN – The street name Valleybrook South Drive will soon be gone.

City council members voted 8-1 Tuesday to change the name of Valleybrook South Drive – which often is confused with the nearby and similarly named Valley Brook Drive – to Wendover Place. The name change, which residents on the street selected, will take place this month.

Paxton bridge projects likely to begin this year

PAXTON – City officials expect the once-controversial construction of a new bridge over the Canadian National Railroad downtown and the demolition of two others to begin sometime this year.

"My understanding is they're ready to roll," city attorney Bob Martensen said about the state's plans to let bids for the project.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Eastbound lane of Danville's Winter Avenue to be closed

DANVILLE – A portion of the eastbound lane of Winter Avenue west of North Vermilion Street will be closed later this week while repairs are made to a water line.

The city of Danville announced Monday that Aqua Illinois will be making water-line repairs on Wednesday and Thursday along the eastbound lane of Winter Avenue between North Vermilion and Gilbert streets.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Champaign businesses feeling heat after Neil Street closure

CHAMPAIGN – The closure of North Neil Street in downtown Champaign nearly two months ago led to less-than-robust Christmas sales for some nearby retailers.

Meanwhile, city officials say they still don't know when Neil Street can be reopened.

The street was closed just south of the intersection with Main and Church streets on Nov. 10 because of concerns about the structural integrity of the three-story building at 215 N. Neil St. that was heavily damaged in a Nov. 7 fire.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Curtis Road interchange still a mystery to most GPS devices

The woman's voice entreats you.

"In 500 feet, make a U-turn if possible."

You ignore the voice. It grows higher in pitch and louder in volume.

"Please make a U-turn NOW!"

You ignore her again, and drive onto Interstate 57 at Curtis Road.

You do this without the help of the disembodied voice in your GPS unit because it doesn't know there's an interchange at Interstate 57 and Curtis Road.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Lawyers question Champaign judge's handling of DUI cases

URBANA – A Champaign County judge's rejection of court supervision for two men who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence for the first time comes as no surprise to their attorneys.

Nonetheless, a written ruling issued Wednesday by Judge Chase Leonhard has the local defense bar talking, and not necessarily in the most charitable terms, about his interpretation of the law.

More drunken driving cases filed locally in '08

URBANA – Champaign County's tough approach to the prosecution of people driving under the influence of alcohol apparently isn't scaring everyone.

State's Attorney Julia Rietz said the number of DUI cases filed by her office through the end of the year appears to be 934, including at least six cases involving seven deaths.

Family seeking 'Angels' of Christmas past

FITHIAN – A former Illinois woman is searching for the "angels" who saved her family in a "Christmas miracle" 25 years ago.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Champaign parking deck scheduled to open in March

CHAMPAIGN – In about two months, downtown Champaign will have another 600 parking spaces.

A six-floor parking deck at the corner of Hill and Randolph streets is scheduled to open on March 2. Built by the city at a cost of $10.6 million, the parking deck will provide both hourly and permit parking.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Semi collides with train in Danville

DANVILLE – No injuries were reported Wednesday morning when a semitrailer truck collided with a CSX train on Lynch Road near the Auto Zone warehouse at 800 Lynch Spur.

Police reported the semi was southbound on Lynch Road about 10:40 a.m. when it failed to stop at the CSX tracks.

Officers put senses to work to spot drunken drivers

Dennis Wood, supervisor of the Vermilion County sheriff's office patrol division, said he recently made an arrest for drunk driving that reminded him of anti-DUI commercials on television.

"When he got out of the car, he poured out," Wood said.

Changes in Illinois' DUI laws take effect on Thursday

Beginning Thursday, anyone convicted in Illinois of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – even a first offense – will be required to use a breath alcohol ignition interlock device, commonly known as a "breathalyzer," in place of the formerly available judicial driving permits.

The permits allowed those convicted of drunk driving to drive to and from work during a license suspension for DUI. The new permit is called a "monitoring device driving permit."

Local crews patrolling for potholes

Don't try this at home.

If you froze a can of soda, "something's got to give," said Jim Kelly, operations manager with the City of Urbana.

That's why there are so many potholes around town recently, he explained.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Danville officials ponder a 'pay before you pump' ordinance

DANVILLE – Jasmine Lohr always pays for her gas before she pumps.

"I think it's smarter, because then you won't go over the amount of money you have," said Lohr as she put gas in her vehicle at the BP Station at the corner of Gilbert and North streets in Danville.

Officials with the city plan to talk with local gas station owners to determine if there is interest in an ordinance that would require all gas stations in the city to have pay-first pumps.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Semi accident blocks traffic on northbound Interstate 57

A section of northbound Interstate 57 about three miles south of Paxton has been closed since about 6 p.m. Sunday because of an accident involving a semitrailer truck.

Friday, December 26, 2008

It's still slick out there; police urge caution for drivers

Illinois State Police were again warning motorists to drive with caution Friday morning.

"Drive as if the roads were ice-covered," Master Sgt. Rory Steidl said at 7:25 a.m. Friday.

Ice going away, but fog and floods may move in

Ice was melting today as temperatures warmed, but fog and flooding replaced it as new travel dangers.

A dense fog advisory and another for flash floods were issued Friday.

Embattled highway official won't seek re-election

DANVILLE – Newell Township Highway Commissioner Richard "Pete" Powell does not plan to run for a second term.

Powell, who faces charges of misconduct in connection with his elected office, said he's fed up with politics, and there is no way he will change his mind about running for another four-year term.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Roads improve by midday; caution still urged

With temperatures slipping back below freezing, state and local police said conditions of roads and highways remained treacherous in spots.

Police dealt with scores of accidents, hundreds of residents went without electricity and tree limbs were reported down throughout the area.

Ice coats East Central Illinois; rain, cold mean more trouble

Area officials warned the public to continue to be cautious Wednesday, as temperatures were expected to drop and bring more ice to streets and power lines.

Freezing rain Tuesday left a thick layer of ice coating East Central Illinois, followed by more rain Wednesday morning that was expected to re-freeze.

Tuesday icy coating creates havoc on area streets

A thick layer of ice coated East Central Illinois on Tuesday afternoon and evening, its glittering beauty on trees belying its danger on streets and sidewalks.

It caused slips, falls and car accidents. State police reported icy conditions on interstates and on entrance and exit ramps. Some ramps were too icy for traffic to drive up, according to dispatches on the state police scanner.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Woman who died in I-74 accident was planning wedding

URBANA – Brittany Babb wanted her dad to help her decide which wedding dress she should wear when he walked her down the aisle Aug. 1. After doing that Thursday, Michael Babb and his only daughter celebrated with other family and friends.

Less than 24 hours later, the dress was relegated to a memory.

Miss Babb, 24, of Ogden, was killed when a drunken driver going the wrong way on Interstate 74 north of Champaign and Urbana struck the car her fiance was driving head-on Friday afternoon.

Wintry weather leads to spate of accidents, no injuries

Icy conditions and slick roads early Saturday evening caused several minor accidents but no major injuries, police reported.

Champaign, Urbana and state police were called out to several collisions and reports of vehicles in ditches in the area between 5 and 7 p.m.

GCMS students win first place again for safe-driving program

GIBSON CITY – Students at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School have won their second national first-place finish in three years for their safe-driving message.

The high school of 350 students encompasses five communities – from Foosland (in northern Champaign County) with a population of 90, to Gibson City (in Ford County) with a population of 3,400.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Winter (Avenue) coming a little early to Danville residents

DANVILLE – On Friday afternoon, Winter Avenue will officially be open for traffic again, but city officials hope the smooth pavement and wider, all-two-lane road don't persuade drivers to speed.

The limit will remain at 30 mph, and city officials encourage motorists to adhere to it.

Winter Avenue resident Kent Griffin would appreciate that, too. He's become accustomed to hardly any traffic on his street while the improvement and widening project was going on.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Taste of ice not changing Champaign's new salt policy

CHAMPAIGN – Monday morning's icing of city streets might not have been the perfect storm. But it was a perfectly timed storm to create havoc for Champaign-Urbana drivers, coming shortly after 6 a.m.

Carlos Cobb of Champaign was among those slip-sliding along unsalted residential streets. He said he slid off icy streets three times Monday morning into people's yards in the Parkland Ridge subdivision, near Parkland College.

"The whole road was a sheet of ice," Cobb said. "In that neighborhood, I don't know how people got around. It took me 15 minutes to get out of the subdivision."