June 21, 2019—For immediate release
For more information, contact Chris Engelbrecht at 573-526-4448
JEFFERSON CITY – As flood waters recede in many parts of the state, the Missouri Department of Transportation is working diligently to assess damage to state roadways and determine the repairs needed.
“As roadways come out of the water, local maintenance forces will begin inspections to determine the extent of damage,” said Chris Engelbrecht, emergency management liaison. “Roadways without damage will be cleared of debris and reopened soon after the water recedes.”
Roadways with damaged surfaces or shoulders will be evaluated to determine the scope of work required and whether repairs will be completed by MoDOT or by external contractors. MoDOT will simultaneously work through the process of obtaining detailed damage assessments to apply for federal funding through Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief or Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance programs. This process will not delay making emergency repairs to get roadways back open as soon as possible, Engelbrecht said.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Engelbrecht said. He noted numerous state highways remain flooded, and flood waters could rise again in the event of significant or prolonged rain.
From April 29 through June 14, MoDOT closed more than 470 different routes in all 114 counties in the state due to flooding. That figure includes closures that were short-term due to flash flooding, as well as long-term closures from major river flooding.
###
For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.
Follow MoDOT: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube