Motorists stuck all night on I-90

MILWAUKEE -- Hundreds of motorists were stranded in a 19-mile backup south of Madison, Wis., Wednesday after semitrailer trucks got stuck on a hill.

Gov. Jim Doyle later called a state of emergency, sending National Guard troops to help vehicles stuck in the jam blocking Interstate 90. Snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles were used to check on the stranded motorists and bring them food or fuel.

As many as 800 vehicles remained stranded Thursday morning, according to Wisconsin National Guard Lt. Col. Tim Donovan. Traffic began to move by 7:30 a.m., but troopers were still working to remove semis and cars, some of whose drivers had gone to sleep.

"We've been going out knocking on cars, waking them up and getting people moving," said Lori Getter, Wisconsin Emergency Management spokeswoman.

Peter Freeman, 29, left his restaurant in Janesville Wednesday night for his 25-mile ride home. He sat in his minivan for hours waiting, listening to the radio and watching a movie on its DVD player. People in a car in front of him eventually offered up a sandwich and soda.

Emergency workers on snowmobiles came by asking whether he was OK, but they had little information about the backup, Freeman said.

"They told us to be single file and turn on our headlights and then off they went. There was no offer of food, water or blankets. Nothing," he said.

Meanwhile, lines at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport were long Thursday morning, a day after carriers canceled about 1,000 flights. Eighty flights were canceled Thursday morning. About 100 passengers spent the night on cots.

No delays were reported across town at Chicago's Midway International Airport.

Flood warnings were issued in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and New York after three days of heavy rain and melting snow. People in northwest Ohio moved to higher ground as forecasters predicted that floodwaters would continue to rise in an area still recovering from flooding five months ago.

In the wake of the storms earlier this week, more than 200 public school districts and private schools in southeastern, central and western Michigan canceled Thursday's classes, as did many community colleges.

General Mitchell International Airport at Milwaukee stopped all flights Wednesday afternoon due to whiteout conditions. More than 100 people spent the night in the concourses. Air traffic resumed at 7 a.m. Thursday, although delays were expected