Dust storm forces closure of Interstate 55 in central Illinois

Illinois State Police on Tuesday said separate dust storms had forced them to close a portion of Interstate 55 outside of downstate Bloomington.

Authorities originally asked motorists on I-55 near McLean near Dixie Road to find alternate routes as dust moved through the area about 3 p.m., state police announced on the site formerly known as Twitter. The location is an approximately three-hour drive southwest of Chicago.

State troopers from Troop 5 soon arrived on the scene, finding dust blowing from the east of the roadway across both lanes of traffic.

Moments later, authorities announced that I-55 was closed in both directions, with traffic being rerouted onto Dixie Road eastbound, Route 51 northbound, Interstate 74 westbound and I-55 northbound. Southbound traffic is being rerouted onto I-74 eastbound, Route 51 southbound, Route 136 westbound and I-55 southbound.

Around 4 p.m., state police reported a second dust storm on Interstate 74 and shut down the roadway between milepost 149 in Le Roy and 160 in unincorporated De Witt County.

Authorities on the scene said there was no visibility at times.

The road closures came just over a year after a dust storm on I-55 between St. Louis and Springfield led to an 84-vehicle pileup that killed eight and injured at least 36 others.