Travelling On I-44 ?

[skeeter]

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Just a heads-up that if anyone you know of is plannning travel on I-44 between Springfield and St Louis from now through the Easter weekend I would suggest they check with MoDOT first. Driving West yesterday at 4:30 P. M. I just did get across the Gasconade River at the 131 mile marker previous to the Interstate being shut down in both directions because the River was coming over the road with strong current on the flats East of the River bridge. The Eastbound lanes were already shut down and the left lane of Westbound was underwater and then it came up some more. That may have been the flood crest but I kind of doubt it, probably too early on a river that size.

In addition I almost guarantee I-44 will close at highway 141 in St. Louis County sometime Friday at the 272 mile marker as the crest on the Meramec River at Valley Park is projected to come within 1/10 of a foot of the record crest of 1982 and the Interstate went under about three feet of water back then. Since '82 the Fed's built a new $49 million levee around Valley Park that is going to push all the flood water over to the Interstate side of the Valley. There is one sure way to get around this closure and that is to exit at Grey Summit on Hwy. 100 which avoids the River crossings completely.

Watching Table Rock come up I wonder just how high it's gonna' get ? Forecast is 931 MSL and that put's it at the top of the flood gates which I hear are all now all wide open. Sure glad I'm not a dock owner. There are trees floating in Big Indian and the White that are the size of large cars. Be careful out there and remember some of these snags are sub surface and you can't see them and you DON'T want to be in the water at these temps.

[Phil Lilley]

Table Rock's gates are not wide open. If they were I'd be under 70 feet of water according to the Corp. Our water level has stabilized... Bill said they have 5 gates open at Table Rock right now.

[UAK squirrelpie]

Was the interstate there just shut down for a short period of time? Because according to MoDot's website, it's open right now.

[MOFishwater]

I just heard on the radio on my way to work to plan on using an alternate route if you travel 44> 1-41 as it appears it will most likely be under water by evening commute! that should work out well its still open currently, but you may want to pay close attention if that's your travel corridor.

[Phil Lilley]

Friends traveling from OK on 44 last night said that the message boards were saying to expect 44 to be closed at mile marker 142 and to expect 1-3 hour delays.

142 is this side of Rolla?

[flyfishmaster]

Phil,

Yes, mile marker 142 is west of Rolla. Lebanon is mile marker 130 so I hope that helps out.

later,

FFM

[MOFishwater]

State Police: Section of Interstate-44 Closed

Created: 3/19/2008 6:10:19 PM

Last updated: 3/19/2008 6:11:00 PM

(KSDK) -- Interstate 44 is closed in both directions from mile marker 141 to 145, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol.

That section of interstate is located in Laclede County.

The Highway Patrol said they may have to close more of the interstate as the night goes on.