Overnight Storms Leave Flooding Across Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many streets and viaducts across the Chicago area flooded overnight, as heavy rain swept across the northern Illinois.
The storms dumped 2 to 4 inches of rain across the Chicago area by Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Some of the worst flooding in Chicago was at the intersection of 14th and Western, where the water was so high, even semi-trailer trucks weren't able to go through.
The CTA also suspended service on the Pink Line between the 54th/Cermak terminal and the Pulaski stop, due to flooding on the tracks.
One of the city's busiest expressways also was seriously affected by the flooding.
At times, nearly all lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway had to be shut down, because of standing water. The Des Plaines Avenue viaduct was one of several that had several inches of standing water as the storms drenched the area with rain.
All lanes were reopened in time for the Tuesday morning rush.
An IDOT spokesperson told CBS 2's Suzanne LeMignot that last night's rainfall was a lot of water at once and admits this type of flooding has happened at least for times in the past year.
IDOT said a storm sewer system upgrade has been taking place for the past several weeks. It should relieve pressure on the system and add to the draining capacity.
"Long term, IDOT is planning on a new pumping station as part of the reconstruction of the Eisenhower," the spokesperson said. "As of right now, that money is not budgeted."
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for parts of Cook and DuPage counties, from 9:30 p.m. Monday to 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, due to all the rain. Although that warning has since expired, a flood advisory remained in effect for parts of Cook, Will, Kankakee and Livingston counties in Illinois, and Porter and Lake Counties in Indiana, due to lingering possibility for flooding along streets and small streams due to runoff from the heavy rain.
While the Chicago area was getting a break from the rain Tuesday morning, more scattered showers and thunderstorms were expected to move in Tuesday afternoon and evening. According to the National Weather Service, there is a marginal risk those storms could be severe.
