I-55 in Will County reopened early Thursday in both directions, the Illinois State Police confirmed, days after severe weather with destructive winds and more than a dozen tornadoes left downed, live power lines across the busy Interstate.
The dangerous conditions, which trapped drivers in their vehicles for hours led officials Monday evening to close I-55 between U.S. 6 and River Road in Channahon.
In a release late Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Transportation said that ComEd was working to “deenergize, remove and repair the downed power lines.”
“After they are cleared and vehicles that were abandoned during the storm removed, IDOT will need to inspect the road to ensure it is safe to reopen and that no repairs are needed,” the release said.
MORE: 1 killed after tree falls on house as severe storms tear through Chicago area
According to the National Weather Service, a total of 19 tornadoes swept through Northern Illinois during Monday’s powerful derecho. The NWS said that number could continue to grow.
One of Monday’s strongest tornadoes began in Channahon and traveled a path of 28.9 miles to Frankfort in southern Cook County, crossing both I-55 and I-57. It lasted 23 minutes, reached speeds of 120 miles per hour and possessed a width of 200 yards at its greatest length.
Of the 19 tornadoes confirmed Monday, it was the only that was rated an EF-2.
At the height of the severe weather, more than 400,000 people across the Chicago area were without power, with ComEd crews expected to restore the majority of service by Friday.
As of 5:30 a.m. Thursday, more than 22,000 ComEd customers remained without power, according to ComEd’s outage map.