Early morning update: Painting the town green
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By Rick Rector | Friday, March 14, 2008 |
Good morning, Quad-Cities. At 6 a.m it’s 34 degrees under foggy skies. Today there is a 20 percent chance of showers after 1 p.m. Otherwise it will be mostly cloudy with a high near 50 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 29 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. For the weekend, Saturday looks to be a tad cooler for the annual Q-C St. Patrick’s Day parade. And on Sunday, the high will only be around 32 degrees with a slight chance of rain or snow.
Check out flight times
Flying this spring break? Parking could be at a premium at the Quad-City International Airport so airport officials are advising travelers to arrive extra early for the next two weeks and be prepared to be directed to an overflow parking lot, located east of the terminal building. The airport also is suggesting travelers use a taxi or shuttle service rather than planning to park their vehicles at the airport. 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.
Muddy roads
Some area schools buses are continuing to run only on hard surfaces today because of the muddy roads. CLICK HERE to stay up to date with your school’s situation.
Drive safe
As St. Patrick's Day approaches, numerous people in the Quad-City region are planning to celebrate the holiday with family and friends. However, those celebrations too often turn deadly, due to the irresponsible acts of impaired drivers. And here’s a sobering thought: A drunken driving arrest and conviction in Iowa costs the average violator more than $6,000, according to Davenport police Lt. Mike Venema.
Last year St. Patrick's Day in America, 44 percent of the 105 drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or above. In Illinois last year, six people lost their lives on St. Patrick's Day. Five of those deaths involved a driver who had been drinking.
Capt. Jeffrey Patterson says Illinois State Police troopers will be conducting roadside safety checks in Rock Island County this weekend. Troopers also will be conducting the checks across the rest of the state, as will troopers in Iowa.
Officers working this detail will be watchful for drivers who are operating unsafe vehicles, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, transporting open alcoholic beverages, or driving under the influence, according to a news release.
“The message is simple and clear,” says to Illinois State Police Director Larry G. Trent. “We have zero-tolerance for drunk drivers in Illinois.” Alcohol and drug impairment remains a significant factor in more than 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. Safety checks are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road.
The East Moline Police Department also will be conducting roadside safety checks this weekend. Officers working the detail will enforce traffic laws at designated areas within the city.
And in Iowa, law enforcement agencies have joined forces to make roadways safer. As part of the Department of Public Safety, Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau and the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Iowa's enforcement project continues through the weekend.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 53 percent of all passenger vehicle occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes in Iowa in 2007 were not wearing their safety belts. That’s why Iowa law agencies have launched several special Click-It-or-Ticket enforcement mobilizations during the year to increase safety belt use in order to reduce fatalities.
Iowa’s observed safety belt rate is now 91 percent, up from 75 percent in 1997. The bulk of the safety belt violators are young males, pickup truck drivers and their passengers, people who live in rural areas, and night-time drivers.
Even though Iowa is ranked 10th in the nation for safety belt usage, there still are 180,000 drivers and an additional 70,000 front seat passengers who go unbelted everyday on Iowa roadways, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Going green
The St. Patrick’s Society Grand Parade is 11:30 a.m. Saturday. It starts at the corner of 4th Ave. and 23rd St. in Rock Island. The parade route will trail through downtown Rock Island, cross the river on the Centennial Bridge and end at Harrison and 2nd streets. Parking will be limited. It will cross the Centennial Bridge into Davenport between 11:30 a.m. and noon before finishing up at 1:30 p.m. The following streets will be closed in Davenport: Gaines between 2nd and 3rd streets; 3rd between Gaines and Harrison streets; Harrison between 3rd and River Drive; all north/south streets between Gaines and Harrison.
CASI's 26th St. Patrick's Day Races are Saturday
The first race, Tot Trot, begins at 9 a.m.; one mile Family Fun Run begins at 9:30 a.m.; and the 5K begins at 10 a.m. The following streets will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Marquette Street between Kimberly Road and Central Park Avenue; Central Park Avenue between Harrison and Marquette streets; 35th between Harrison and Division streets. Motorists will have access to all businesses on 35th Street between Harrison and Marquette Street.
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
The Clinton Department of Parks & Recreation will hold breakfast with the Easter Bunny at 8:45 a.m. Saturday at the Ericksen Community Center, 1401 11th Ave. North, Clinton, Iowa. The breakfast will include an egg hunt and games as well as pictures with the Easter Bunny. Pre-registration is necessary and can be done at the community center. Registration ends today and costs $4 for residents and $5 for non-residents. Photos are an additional $1. For more information, call (563) 243-1260.
Family Museum to host Easter competition
The Family Museum will host the Egg Drop Kerplop challenge from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 2900 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf. Teams will be given tape, cardboard, one raw egg and one hour to build an impact-resistant container for the egg. The event is free with museum admission. For more information, call the museum (563) 344-4106 or visit familymuseum.org.
Pancake breakfast
The Bettendorf Firefighters Association’s 11th Annual Pancake Breakfast will be from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday. The breakfast will be held at Bettendorf Middle School, 2030 Middle Road. Individuals who purchased tickets for the original date, March 9, and would like a refund, should visit the Spruce Hills Fire Station, 1933 Spruce Hills Drive. Tickets are still available for Sunday at the Spruce Hills Fire Station.
Egg hunts
In Bettendorf, The Mayor's Egg Hunt is scheduled for Sunday, at 1 p.m. The hunt will be located at Bettendorf Middle Park's Lowry Baseball Field across from Splash Landing. The Egg Hunt is open to ages 12 and under. Mayor Mike Freemire and the Easter Bunny will be there and prizes will be given away to the following age groups: 3 years and under, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Rain date is scheduled for March 22, 1 p.m., same location.
Rock Island will hold its Spring Egg Hunt at Lincoln Park, 11th Avenue and 38th Street. The hunt begins 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
For a complete listing of egg hunts in your area CLICK HERE.
See news happening? Share it
Stuck in traffic? See an accident or fire on your way to work? 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 road conditions, street closures/detours and water main breaks in the Quad-City region.
Road work
Here is a partial list of road construction work in your area. CLICK HERE to view complete list. Henry County
-- Osco Road from Illinois 81 to U.S. 6 until May 1. Max gross vehicular weight is 10 tons. All permit loads prohibited. Slow down and watch for heavy congestion in the construction area. Use alternate routes when possible.
-- Grange Road from Geneseo to Illinois 92 until May 1. Max gross vehicular weight is 10 tons. All permit loads prohibited. Slow down and watch for heavy congestion in the construction area. Use alternate routes when possible.
-- Illinois 82 from the Green River to 2.8 miles north of U.S. 6 until June 1. Traffic will be restricted to one lane and controlled by temporary traffic signals. Oversize loads restricted 15 feet wide.
-- Midland Road from U.S. 34 to Kewanee until May 1. Max gross vehicular weight is 10 tons. All permit loads prohibited. Slow down and watch for heavy congestion in the construction area. Use alternate routes when possible.
-- Cleveland Road 250 feet east of Illinois 84 beginning March 31 until April 4. Both lanes closed for crossing repair. Watch for heavy congestion in the construction area. Use alternate routes when possible.
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 December.
Bureau County
-- Illinois 89 over Interstate 80 beginning March 17. Expect lane restrictions until Nov. 23 for road improvements. Slow down and watch for workers. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution when driving through the construction area.
Mercer County
-- Illinois 94 from 1.9 miles north of Illinois 17 to Edwards River from March 15 to Oct. 17. Traffic will be restricted to one lane and controlled by temporary traffic signals. Oversize loads restricted to max width of 10 feet 6 inches. Expect delays.
Rock Island County
-- Illinois 5 at Illinois 84 beginning March 10 to Nov. 15. Traffic restricted to one lane in each direction as each half of the bridge is removed and replaced. Drivers are strongly urged to use extreme caution when driving through construction areas. Slow down and watch for workers.
Whiteside County
-- Freeport Road from Sterling to Pilgrim Road until May 1. Northbound and southbound lanes closed at times. Traffic reduced to a maximum weight of 11 tons.
-- Garden Plain Road from Illinois 84 to U.S. 30 until May 1. Westbound lane closed. Traffic restricted to a maximum weight of 5 tons per axle.
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 conditions
Traveling today? Check out the road conditions before you hit the road. CLICK HERE for Illinois road conditions. CLICK HERE for Iowa road conditions.
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