Flooding Shuts Down I-44 In Missouri

Rising flood waters have forced Missouri authorities to shut down a stretch of I-44 in both directions.

The Missouri DOT announced this morning that both the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-44 west of Rolla in Phelps County are closed. More specifically, I-44 is closed in Jerome between mile marker 172-176. Authorities believe that the closures will last until at least Thursday.

Officials recommend the following detours:

• Route 65 south in Springfield to Route 60 east to Route 63 north at Rolla back to I-44
• Route 5 to Route 54 to Interstate 70

Anyone taking detours should expect traffic backups and allow extra time for travel.

You can get the latest information of Missouri road conditions and road closures at www.modot.org. You can also call 1-888-ASK-MODOT for current road closure information.

Sources:
ABC News
Christian Science Monitor
KY3