Public Works Crews Prepare For Cold Snap Following Heavy Rainfall

TINLEY PARK, IL — Steady rain and melting snow have kept crews from the Tinley Park Department of Public Works and around the south suburbs busy Tuesday as they responded to flooding. Workers will be preparing for a drop in temperatures in the evening by loading salt trucks to handle possible icy road conditions, the village said.

Earlier Tuesday, the village had closed several roads because of flooding. But the traffic has been allowed through all of them since noon. The affected roads, according to the village, included:

• 175th Street and 88th Avenue, caused by an overflowing retention pond
• 175th Street and 71st Avenue
• 175th Street near Tinley Park High School, caused by water on the roadway from the nearby Forest Preserves of Cook County
• Highland Avenue

Tinley Park waterways are full, and ponds in the area are around three-quarters full, the village said. One complicating factor is that despite the warmer weather, the ground has remained frozen, which stops all the excess water from being absorbed by the soil.

Public work crews, which have been divided into 12 sections around the village, will be keeping an eye on ponds, as well as storm sewer basins, as the rain continues, according to the village. They also will be working around the clock, so that the salt trucks are ready in case of expected freezing temperatures Tuesday night and into Wednesday, the village added.

A flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service until 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, for Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties. So far, the area has received more than 2 inches of rain Tuesday.

A cold front is expected to move across the area Tuesday night, and freezing rain could follow behind the front or mix with sleet or snow briefly, according to the weather service's forecast. Overnight ice accumulation and glazing also are possible.

Some Tinley Park residents reported flooding in their basements Tuesday morning. The creek near Centennial Park and Hilbert Siemsen Meadow also was reported to be overflowing its banks and causing some flooding just north of 167th Street.

RELATED: Heavy Rains Flood Roads Around South Suburbs

In Oak Forest, flooding hit the northbound lanes of Interstate 57, near 167th Street, the Chicago Tribune reports. Kilbourne and Kenton avenues also were closed just north of 151st Street in Midlothian because of flooding.

Orland Park was particularly hit hard by flooding. Joey's Red Hots on Wolf Road had to close Tuesday because of water around 2 feet deep.

Frankfort represented the flip side of the weather coin Tuesday.

RELATED: Hot Dog Stand In Orland Park Swamped By Flood Waters

"Overall, the village is in good shape as it comes to flooding," said Rob Piscia, village administrator. "We have not received any calls of any streets that are completely flooded. Our crews have been responding to complaints of water standing on streets that are associated with clogged storm drains."

Piscia said residents are urged to keep storm drains on or in front of their homes clear. Anyone needing help with blocked storm drains should call Village Hall at 815-469-2177, he added.

Tinley Park officials offered the following tips for residents dealing with flooding:

• Keep top of storm basins clear of debris
• Make sure sump pumps work
• Make sure gutter downspout are pointed away from foundations
• Do not lift sanitary sewer manhole covers so a back up in the sanitary system isn't created, causing floor drain back ups in basements.

YOUR TURN: Did the heavy rain Tuesday cause flooding in your neighborhood? Or worse, in your basement? Share your thoughts and photos in the comments section.

A retention ditch at the corner of 181st Street and 65th Avenue in Tinley Park at around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning (Photo by Sandy Woeltje)