Travel Discouraged on I-94 This Afternoon and Evening

The Indiana State Police Lowell Post and the Indiana Department of Transportation Northwest have issued a Travel Advisory: Travel is being discouraged on Interstate 94 eastbound towards Michigan and into Michigan. Troopers report they are currently on scene of a rollover tanker on I-94 at the 24.2 mile-marker (Burns Harbor exit) and that this is a hazardous material situation requiring offload of the contents, Sodium Hydroxide, prior to the vehicle being removed and the roadway reopened. There is no timetable for this event to be completed.
In addition, I-94 is currently closed in Michigan at exit 4 (Niles, MI). Indiana State Police said from their understanding, it is due to numerous crashes and weather Michigan has experienced and continues to navigate, and there’s concern if traffic backs up into Indiana, it could result in motorists becoming stranded in arctic temperatures, creating an extremely dangerous situation for everyone, officials said. The advisory from Indiana State Police Lowell Post and INDOT Northwest also said they have not been made aware of when I-94 in Michigan may reopen, but they don’t anticipate it being anytime soon.
“Finally, troopers are working active crash scenes on I-65 and I-94, observing vehicles that are failing to slow down, even witnessing spinouts and crashes. Lowell has already had one trooper struck today and Indianapolis has had 3 struck today while working at crash scenes. Motorists are failing to use care while driving compounding the dangerous road conditions. Again, please delay any nonessential travel in Northwest Indiana,” the news release said.