MOUND CITY, Mo. – Restoring access to homes and businesses for residents of Northwest Missouri continues with the award of a third contract for debris removal and emergency road repairs. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a contract last week as part of a special letting for work on Route 118. This is in addition to the two contracts awarded previously for repairs on US Routes 159 and 136.
The contract for Route 118 covers debris removal and emergency repairs. Nearby residents will see contractors beginning work soon, possibly as early as tomorrow. Please note that the projected completion date is not only dependent on the weather, but also on water levels going down and staying down.
- Route 118 (Holt County from Route 111 to the bridge over Little Takrio Creek
- Debris removal and emergency repair
- Awarded to Phillips Hardy, Inc. for $1,193,014.06
- Projected completion on or before July 17, 2019
Previously awarded:
- US Route 159 (Holt County) from one mile east of Route P near Fortescue to the Missouri River Bridge (crews began work April 29)
- Debris removal and emergency repair
- Awarded to Phillips Hardy, Inc. for $3,589,253.87
- Projected completion on or before June 1
- While more than 10,000 tons of rock have been placed in a pavement gap west of Route 111, more repairs need to be made at that location to make the road safe for motorists. Local traffic is urged, for their own safety, to stay out of the construction zone until repairs are complete.
- US Route 136 (Atchison County) from Interstate 29 to the Missouri River Bridge
- Debris removal and emergency repair
- Awarded to Phillips Hardy, Inc. for $3,490,800.96
- Projected completion on or before July 1 (may be delayed, as water is still over the roadway as of May 6, 2019)
Additonal emergency contracts will follow including Route 111, the Little Tarkio Bridge on U.S. Route 159 and many lettered routes. There are still several miles of roadway under water, and some with rushing water, which limits our ability to assess damage. When waters recede and damages are determined, those repairs will be contracted as well.
Once the new rock and fill material on these routes has a chance to settle out, more permanent repairs will follow up these emergency contracts. Those permanent repairs should take place next year.
Our neighbors to the north at the Iowa Department of Transportation are working diligenty to have their portion of I-29 open before Memorial Day. When Iowa opens I-29, MoDOT will open the Missouri portion of I-29 between Exit 57 and the Iowa border to through traffic. That portion remains closed to through traffic at this time, but is open to local, northwest Missouri traffic now.
Northwest Missouri flooding began in March 2019 and the damage it inflicted on the region’s infrastructure has been felt by communities along the Missouri River basin. In some places, water remains over roadways more than a month later. As floodwaters recede, damage to roadways, bridges, residual debris, hazardous materials and drainage issues have been left in their wake and must be addressed so full mobility may be restored across the region.
To keep up to date on the progress on the roadway recovery projects by both MoDOT and our contractors, please visit the NW Missouri Flooding page. Simply go to the map, click on the highlighted route you are interested in, and it will give you up to date information on plans and progress. The web page also has pictures of the damage and repair efforts.
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