SOUTH BEND — Flooding has caused the city to close Northside Boulevard just west of Indiana University South Bend Tuesday morning — in the 1200 to 1400 blocks.

And at about noon, as the St. Joseph River continues to rise, Riverside Drive likely will be closed at Leeper Park, west of Michigan Street, said street commissioner Sam Hensley.

He warned drivers: Go slow and easy.

Danger No. 1: Potholes are cropping up, thanks to the quick winter thaw. And crews won’t be able to fill the holes, Hensley said, while water is still in the holes. That would just turn the patching material into mud, he said.

Danger No. 2: Hydroplaning. Water is everywhere, and underneath are leaves — a great recipe for sliding cars.

Hensley said water is backing up for a couple of reasons. The sewer system isn’t built to keep up with the sudden deluge, along with the massive amounts of snow melt.

Also, he said, there were a lot of leaves that residents had set out by the curb for the city to pick up. Many leaves are being washed away and plugging up storm drains, he said. Almost 50 people are working today to unplug those drains.

City crews will start working on leaf removal and pothole filling Wednesday if the flooding has been taken care of, he said.

Courtesy of The South Bend Tribune