Sloppy roads make for tough commutes

ROCKFORD - It's been one of those days.  Cars stuck, businesses closed and travel a pure headache.

"Just a lot of squealing and a lot of sliding," said Rockford resident Olajuwon Champion.

The city of Rockford took to the streets at 5 a.m., called contractors at 10 a.m. and plan to continue plowing through Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.

"Roads are very passable, [but] they're sloppy," said Rockford public works director Tim Hanson.

Olajuwon Champion braved the conditions to shovel his cars out.  "I got two vehicles to dig out," said Champion.

A seemingly impossible task when the snow just kept falling.

"I'm thinking about ordering in," said Champion.  "So, I'm going to make a path for the delivery guy if they decide to deliver our here."

Emergency responders didn't have it any easier.  That's why fire fighters also spent today clearing driveways to make sure they could get out for any emergency.

Still, there were those that took to the streets, that's if they could, creating some rather close calls.

"People want to get anxious, let them go around you, don't take the risk," said Champion.

Hanson expects to have the roads cleared by the Wednesday morning, but worries the slush on the roads now will turn to ice.

"The roads should be in very good shape for the morning rush hour," said Hanson.  "However, were anticipating that it will be slick."

And oh yeah, he blames me - yes me Marty Kasper - for all this.  All because he says I jinxed the Stateline during a report earlier this year.

"And as soon as we did that report on February 2^nd," said Hanson.  "the whole bottom fell out and now were having record snows."

"So thank you very much, Rockford thanks you, we all thank you for jinxing us," said Hanson.

Rockford - you're welcome? J