River Road near McHenry and Rawson Bridge Road outside of Cary have both reopened Wednesday as the Fox River water level continues receding following flooding in Lake and McHenry counties.
The McHenry County Division of Transportation (MCDOT) announced Wednesday that River Road near Moraine Hills State Park in unincorporated McHenry was officially back open to the public.
The water has receded from the driving surface and crews have determined the roadway is safe to navigate again.
“We know road closures can be a hassle, so we truly appreciate your patience while we monitored the flooding,” MCDOT said.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office also announced on Wednesday that Rawson Bridge Road, which was closed from Tuxedo Lane to west of Roberts Road in Port Barrington, had been reopened. “Thank you for your patience and drive safely!”
The National Weather Service (NWS) still has an active flood warning in place for areas along the Fox River from the Illinois-Wisconsin border to St. Charles along the Lake and McHenry County borders.
The Fox River water stage was 11.4 feet as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. The flood stage is 9.5 feet.
Water levels on the Fox River are continuing to gradually fall and the forecast projects the river will continue to slowly fall.
River gauges in the Fox River Chain O’ Lakes area indicated water levels were also falling and they have reached “minor” flood stage.
The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) last week had raised the Flood Threat Alert status to “Red” amid major flooding following heavy rain in the Chicago area earlier this month.
Numerous roads, yards, structures and areas of parkland were flooded in Lake and McHenry counties. Areas along the Des Plaines River in Lake County also experienced flooding, which has since subsided.
The flooding resulted in many road closures and left residents sandbagging to protect their homes.
The Antioch Fire Department had to rescue an elderly couple from their home after it became surrounded by water.
Lake County and McHenry County officials said they had partnered together, along with the American Red Cross, and are inviting residents impacted by recent severe storms and flooding to visit a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC).
A MARC is a one-stop location where people can access recovery assistance, meet directly with agencies and get help navigating next steps after flooding.
Two MARCs will be offered and residents from both counties may go to either location.
The first one will be located at Life Bridge Christian Church, 700 West Liberty Street in Wauconda, from 4-8 p.m. on May 1.
The second one will be located at the Village of Cary City Hall, 755 Georgetown Drive in Cary, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 2.
“If your home or property was impacted, even if the damage seems minor, it’s important to find out what type of assistance is available to you. This is an opportunity to meet face-to-face with multiple agencies in one place and get answers specific to your situation. For example, damage to two or more appliances could qualify for financial assistance,” county officials said.