Early morning update: Slow going

Font Size:

By Rick Rector | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 6:26 AM CST | () comments

A good snowy morning, Quad-Cities. You’re waking up to a total of five inches of snow since yesterday morning. It's 13 degrees, -2 degrees with the wind chill. A blowing snow advisory is in effect until noon today. The National Weather Service says wind gusts could be up to 25 mph which will produce negative wind chill values. Snow and cold, yuck.

You’re going to want to take extra time on your commute this morning. Although road crews have been out all night, main Quad-City roads still are mostly snow covered. Most side roads have yet to be touched. So be safe, and take it slow.

Local police are reporting sloppy and snow-packed Quad-City roads. Police responded overnight to numerous vehicles sliding off the roadways, and minor fender-benders. They expect more of the same this morning as the Q-C wakes up and drivers begin their commute.

Today’s weather

Patchy blowing snow and scattered flurries can be expected before 9 a.m., then areas of blowing snow after 9 a.m. The high will be 11 degrees. Wind chill values could be as low as -10 with wind gusts up 25 mph. Tonight’s low will be around 5 degrees with wind chill values as low as -8 degrees. Source: National Weather Service.

Area school closings/delays

The cold and blowing snow are causing some school districts to cancel classes or delay the start of school. http://www.qctimes.com/closings/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE to see closing/delay list.

Road conditions

CLICK HERE for Illinois road conditions. CLICK HERE for Iowa road conditions.

Flight times

Flying? CLICK HERE to check flight status, wait times and more for regional airports, including the Quad-City International Airport in Moline and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

Flood warning

A flood warning remains in effect for the Rock River in Henry and Rock Island counties. An ice jam between the Interstate 74 bridge in Moline and the mouth of the Rock River where it flows into the Mississippi River in Rock Island appears to have given way allowing the Rock to fall back below flood stage. However, ice action will continue to cause high water with the threat of additional flooding.

Truckin’ with the truckers

From the Iowa State Patrol: The number of commercial vehicles on the nation’s roads keeps growing. Commercial truckers move more than a billion tons of freight each year. Much of this freight travels across Iowa and Illinois due to the geographic location on our interstates. Drivers need to pay special attention to commercial motor vehicles, or CMV, for everyone's safety. More than 1 in 6 fatal crashes in Iowa involve a commercial motor vehicle and less than 20 percent of those fatalities were occupants of the commercial motor vehicles. Many trucks are more than five times the length of a car and more than 30 times the weight. Because of this, they accelerate much slower and take about two times the distance to stop, compared to a car. Speed + weight = force. The heavier the vehicle, the more potential damage it may cause during a collision. Nine out of 10 collisions are caused by driver error, which means most collisions can be prevented.

Common errors by drivers that cause collisions:

-- Driving too fast for conditions

-- Failure to maintain control

-- Failure to yield right of way

-- Improper turn or lane change

-- Following too close.

-- Driving while intoxicated

-- Driving while drowsy, fatigued or ill

-- Inattentive or distracted

-- Failing to drive defensively

Tips for drivers to prevent collisions:

-- Obey speed limits.

-- Slow down during bad weather conditions or don't drive until conditions improve.

-- Be aware of your surroundings, keep your eyes moving; check mirrors often.

-- Increase following distance -- 3 seconds following cars, 4 seconds following CMV's.

-- Be aware of blind spots -- your vehicle and the vehicles around you.

-- Merging -- get up to speed, pick your spot, go with the flow of traffic.

-- Make allowances for the limitations of a commercial motor vehicle.

-- Make sure you and your vehicle are in good condition and prepared for the road.

By working together, all drivers can reduce the number of collisions and fatalities. The Iowa State Patrol will be out there looking for unsafe drivers and promoting safety. Being right is good, but don't be dead right.

Vigil commemorates Roe vs. Wade

The Women’s Choice Center will host a candlelight vigil to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade today at 6 p.m. in the Women’s Choice Center Chapel, 2711 Happy Joe Drive, Bettendorf. The program will include refreshments, fellowship and testimonials.

Transitioning to digital TV

Worried about what happens when television networks stop broadcasting in traditional analog and begin broadcasting in digital on Feb. 17, 2009? A meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Davenport Public Library-Fairmount Street, 3000 N. Fairmount St., can help answer your questions. Ken Colwell, from the National Association of Broadcasters Digital TV Speakers Bureau, will provide the community with information to make the transition from analog to digital easier.

And speaking of conversion, Iowans can get two $40 coupons from the federal government to help cover the price of digital converter boxes for their televisions. Television sets that use antennas will require a converter box to receive the new digital broadcasts. In 1996, federal law mandated all analog transmissions be converted to digital television, or DTV. DTV will provide viewers with sharper pictures, a wider screen, and greater sound quality. The conversion will also free up airwaves for emergency first responders and new wireless communications.

Those who subscribe to cable or satellite services will not be affected by the transition to digital service and will not need to purchase a converter box. To obtain the $40 coupons:

-- Apply online at: www.dtv2009.gov or by visiting http://harkin.senate.gov

-- Call the 24-hour hotline: 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), TTY 1-877-530-2634

-- Visit one of Iowa U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin’s five district offices to fill out an application and mail it to PO Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000.

See news happening? Share it

Drop us an e-mail at newsroom@qctimes.com or give us a call at (563) 383-2235 if you see breaking news such as house fires, traffic accidents and congestion, road conditions, street closures, detours and water main breaks in the Quad-City region.

Time to toss the tree

In Rock Island free Christmas tree collection continues through Jan 25. Christmas trees should be placed at the normal garbage set-out point on the citizen's normal garbage collection day.

Moline is offering free Christmas tree disposal during the month of January. Christmas trees will be collected when placed with regular garbage on normal collection days.

Plot a pothole

Had your teeth rattled by a car-eating pothole? First, call the city where the pothole is located. Here are the phone numbers: Davenport: 326-7923; Bettendorf: 344-4088; Moline: 797-0425; Rock Island: 732-2200; East Moline: 752-1573. Second, go online CLICK HERE and add it to our pothole map. Find out where the worst potholes are in the Quad-Cities.

Road work

Here is the latest road construction work in your area.

Henry County

-- Eastbound traffic is restricted to one lane on I-80 at Cleveland Road until December.

-- Drivers on Illinois 78 from 2 miles north of I-80 to Coal Creek should expect lane restrictions during road improvements until December.

Carroll County

-- Eastbound and westbound traffic on U.S. 52 and Illinois 64 from east of Savanna to east of Illinois 78 will be restricted to one lane and controlled by traffic signals until Dec. 1.