travel advisory south bend indiana

St. Joe County EMA issues advisory as road conditions remain hazardous amid winter storm

Accidents minimal, but road conditions remain dangerous.

Update: Dec. 24, 2:55 p.m.:

The St. Joseph County Emergency Management Agency has issued the following advisory:

● Many roads are still limited travel due to drifting in wide open areas. This includes the western, eastern and southern parts of St. Joseph County.

● In the event you come across a road closed sign, turn around. It is there because the road is drifted, and you may get stuck or slide off if you proceed.

● St. Joseph County PSAP (911) reports many car accidents and slide offs due to black ice and snow. In the event you are involved in an accident, anticipate longer response times from public safety due to road conditions. Depending on the location, police officers are getting stuck attempting to reach these locations.

● Anticipate longer response times from towing companies as they are getting stuck themselves. Some towing companies will not go into areas that do not have clear access. Your car may have to be tagged and retrieved later.

● Check local media outlets if you plan to attend church services. Many are being canceled because of the weather conditions.

● The immediate hazard to life safety still exists due to the temperatures (10 degrees) sustained winds (19 mph) and wind gusts (34 mph).

● AEP is experiencing peak load demands on their grid system due to the cold and are asking customers to limit unnecessary electrical usage.

● Road crews are continuing to work to keep roads open.

Update: Dec. 24, 11:50 a.m.:

St. Joseph County is under a Red Travel Warning as road conditions have become even more dangerous from the arctic blast that has put much of the country under a deep freeze since Thursday afternoon. The winter storm, which has brought record freezing temperatures, also prompted AEP/Indiana Michigan Power on Saturday to ask customers to reduce electricity use as much as possible without sacrificing safety.

As part of the county's Red Travel Warning, which the Indiana Department of Homeland Security issued on Friday night, individual should:

● Refrain from all travel;

● Comply with necessary emergency measures;

● Cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans; and

● Obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

For more information visit: https://www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/

AEP/Indiana Michigan Power recommends that customers reduce electricity use by:

• Setting your thermostat lower than usual, if health allows.

• Postponing use of major electric appliances such as stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers.

• Turning off non-essential electric lights, equipment and appliances.

This request is in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 25.

We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Blizzard conditions are hitting Michiana in full force as lake effect snow, high winds and dangerously low temperatures are expected to continue through Friday, prompting closings and travel warnings from officials.

Temperatures had not reached 0 degrees Friday morning, with the National Weather Service showing wind chills in the -20 to -25 range. Wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour also are on the docket, blowing up snow and causing hazardous road conditions and low visibility.

On Friday afternoon, the St. Joseph County Police Department announced the closure of a few thoroughfares in Granger: Bittersweet Road between Anderson and Douglas, Cleveland Road between Capital and Bittersweet and Douglas Road between Capital and Bittersweet. County police said decisions about reopening the roads would be made in the morning after the worst of the winds die down.

As of Friday morning, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security issued a travel watch for St. Joseph County that recommends only essential travel and encourages businesses to implement emergency plans. Officials had already announced that the County-City building in downtown was closed Friday. Other organizations, including the St. Joseph Health System, the St. Joseph County and Mishawaka-Penn-Harris library systems, and multiple school districts, also have announced closings.

The South Shore train line also has canceled all trains out of the South Bend International Airport.

"The roads, they’re bad to terrible depending on exactly where you’re at” said Sgt. Ted Bohner with the Indiana State Police.

The arctic system — dubbed Winter Storm Elliot — is affecting holiday travel around the country , with freezing temperatures moving from the Rocky Mountain states into the East Coast by the end of the weekend.

In South Bend, police responded to a eight crashes from Thursday night into midday Friday — about as many as occur with normal weather — though officials caution that roads remain very slick because of dropping temperatures and the fact that snow continues to blow onto roads that have already been plowed.

Al Kirsits, director of  St. Joseph County's Emergency Management Agency , said dispatch calls are down, which indicates residents are mostly heeding officials' advice to stay off the roads. Police haven't yet encountered instances of motorists becoming stranded in slide-off crashes, but that remains a risk through Saturday, he said.

"People are heeding the advice, but I'd like to reiterate: It's dangerous out there. We just kind of want to get through until Christmas Day," Kirsits said.

Snowfall amounts over Thursday night are varied, with the NWS reporting most parts of Michiana getting between three and four inches. Projections still call for six to 10 inches for most of the South Bend area through Saturday morning and lake-effect snow is likely to continue intermittently into Saturday for residents north of US 6.

Local officials have said they plan to plow main roads first , making residential and minor roads more dangerous to traverse.

As of Friday morning, Indiana Michigan Power reported only a handful of customers without power.

“It’s going to get bad out there Thursday into Friday. If you don’t have to be somewhere, stay home," South Bend Director of Public Works Eric Horvath said this week.

Temperatures are projected to warm up slightly on Saturday, with wind chills in the -10 to -20 degree range.

Email Marek Mazurek at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @marek_mazurek

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Elkhart County travel advisory raised to Watch level; community-spread cases confirmed

Elkhart County now has 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the sheriff's department. Health officials are now investigating community-spread cases. The travel advisory that Elkhart County is under has been raised to Orange/Watch level.

The following release was issued by the sheriff's department on Saturday:

The Indiana State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Map now has Elkhart County with 11 positive cases. The Elkhart County Department of Health has confirmed that we now have community spread cases under investigation.

Due to an increase in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 reported in our surrounding counties, the Elkhart County Commisioners and Mayors have raised the County Travel Status to a Orange / Watch level: meaning that the conditions are threatening to the safety of the public. During a “WATCH” local travel advisory, only essential travel, such as to and from work or in emergency situations, is recommended, and emergency action plans should be implemented by businesses, schools, government agencies, and other organizations.

The best way to protect yourself from any respiratory illness, including COVID-19 and the flu, is to:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60% or greater alcohol.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Practice social distancing (no group functions such as book clubs, meetings, and or congregations of 10 or more) Stay home unless it is essential for you to go somewhere.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The myth is, that this virus is only affecting people 60 years of age and older. Please understand, that this virus can and will affect every age group. Everyone is a target of the COVID-19 Virus. Every age group can spread COVID-19.5

Michiana counties under travel advisories due to winter weather

(WNDU) - Most counties in our viewing area are under a travel advisory as we continue to see winter weather here in Michiana.

As of 10:20 a.m. EST on Monday, all nine of our northern Indiana counties are under an advisory. They are listed below:

YELLOW : Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaGrange, LaPorte, Marshall, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke

In Indiana, county travel status information is provided by each county’s emergency management agency. As counties initiate official travel advisories and notify the state, they will be automatically updated at the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s website .

Counties that are YELLOW are under an ADVISORY , which is the lowest level of local travel advisory. It means that routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and you should use caution or avoid those areas.

Counties that are ORANGE are under a WATCH , meaning that conditions are threatening to the safety of the public. Only essential travel, such as to and from work or in emergency situations, is recommended. This is also when emergency action plans should be implemented by businesses, schools, government agencies, and other organizations.

Counties that are RED are under a WARNING , which is the highest level of local travel advisory. It means that travel may be restricted to emergency management workers only. Under this advisory, you are urged to:

• Refrain from all travel
• Comply with necessary emergency measures
• Cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans
• Obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

In Michigan, the state does not have a website that is similar in comparison to Indiana’s. However, major road closures can be found by clicking here . For additional resources, click here .

Indiana interstates will likely be packed on eclipse day. How to prepare and what to expect

With the total solar eclipse approaching and Indiana being prime real estate for sky-watching, police are anticipating packed roads and heavy traffic conditions.  

“We've likened it to having the Indy 500 in the Evansville area, Bloomington area, here in Indy and then in the northeast,” said Capt. Ron Galaviz of Indiana State Police. 

State Police anticipate traffic will snarl before, during and after the event, which will occur April 8. Galaviz said the police agency will have “all hands on deck” when it comes to staffing troopers on the state’s highway and particularly its interstate system.  

More: Road-tripping to Indy for the eclipse? Here are some destinations to check out on the way

At the same time, motorists are asked to prepare ahead of time for traffic jams as thousands descend into the state. Filling up vehicles with gas ahead of time is advised as well as having food and water supplies in anticipation of long waits.

"Exercise patience," Galaviz said.

Police: Don't stop on the interstate to watch the eclipse

During the event, state police are also urging drivers not to stop, park, or watch the solar activity on the interstates.

“In Indiana, it’s against the law to stop, stand or park along the side of the interstate. Let alone, on the interstate itself in one of the lanes of travel,” Galaviz said.  

How to avoid traffic during the eclipse

To gauge road congestion during and after the eclipse, drivers can visit 511in.org which shares the latest traffic patterns across the state and possibly find alternative routes.

Where is the eclipse path of totality

2024 solar eclipse map: See the path of totality in Indiana, U.S.

City-by-city solar eclipse timing: Where you can see the total solar eclipse in Indiana, when, and how long it's visible

Contact reporter Sarah Nelson at [email protected]

Holcomb issues executive order to use emergency resources for eclipse tourism

INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) - The state of Indiana is expected to be fully prepared for the once-in-a-lifetime eclipse on April 8.

On Wednesday, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed an executive order declaring a statewide disaster emergency to utilize resources from other states that are members of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC.

Holcomb says the order is for the “anticipated needs” of Indiana’s emergency response, transportation, communication, and critical infrastructure systems due to the projected influx of tourists.

Once a governor issues an order, EMAC members will typically share equipment and communications systems to help support state resources to ensure the safety and welfare of residents if an emergency event occurs from the tourism increase.

The state of emergency declaration is expected to be in place through April 9.

To read the full order, click here .

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