Friday, June 19•UPDATE at 1:45 p.m.
According to Sullivan Street Department Superintendent Doug Daily, both Roane and Wagoner streets in Sullivan are closed. The section of Roane affected is between Market and Lincoln streets. Daily clarified that Wagoner is closed between Worth and Washington. His department will be doing another road check in approximately an hour.
Lovington and Bethany are still without reports of any road closures.
County highway engineer Jeffrey Birch said that the only county highway that was closed earlier–county highway 3, or also known as CR1500E–was expected to have re-opened early this afternoon. He did cite that a tree had fallen into the road, but that it was removed. The road, in particular a mile south of Bruce-Findlay road, was closed earlier this morning after as much as eight inches of water had been measured in one section in particular.
Birch added that many township roads do remain closed. He did explain that one of those roads, CR1350E, which is located in Whitley township, section 5, has been partially washed away and that a nearby bridge is under water. That section of road has been barricaded off.
"The townships have really been on top of things," said Birch.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Moultrie county at 11:42 a.m. due to the closure of several roads in the county. The flood warning is expected to last until 5:45 p.m. Friday. It is expected that another half inch to two inches of rain is to fall this afternoon. The NOAA urges motorists to not drive vehicles into areas where water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep a vehicle off the road.
Birch added that he has observed many areas of standing water to be rapidly receding since this morning.
"If we receive no more rain, most everything should be passable by tomorrow. with a few exceptions," he explained.
Friday, June 19• 10:20 a.m.
As of 9 a.m. Friday morning, IL Route 121 was experiencing water on the pavement just west of Coles Station and approximately 1 mile east of Allenville, but was still passable. Flooding was also occurring near the Coles-Moultrie county line on IL Route 121 near Coles Station. Drivers should use caution in this area.
According to the Sullivan Streets Department as of 10:05 a.m. Roane street between Market and Lincoln has been closed, as has Wagoner, between Worth and Washington.
According to county highway engineer Jeffrey Birch, as of 9:55 a.m., only County Highway 3 is closed; in particular, also known as CR1500E, the road is closed for one mile south of the Bruce Findlay road.
Officials from both Bethany and Lovington village hall report no road closures within village limits as of 10:20 a.m.
Based on observations, other roads and streets within the county are experiencing heavy flooding. Motorists should exercise caution in these condition and heed the advice of the National Weather Service, which strongly urges motorists who encounter a road with standing water to turn around as most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
The NOAA issued a flash flood warning for Moultrie County at 5:26 a.m. Friday morning after weather spotters reported heavy rains falling in the area, including 4.5 inches near Allenville. The warning is set to expire at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
The News•Progress will provide road closure updates throughout the day.
