A state road crew is working to raise the level of one mile of the southbound lanes of Interstate-29 in water-logged western Iowa between Blencoe and Little Sioux. Iowa D.O.T. spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher says crews will be working in sections to raise the roadway, due to the flooding Missouri River.
“There’ll be a layer of about eight inches, then they’ll then switch to the other side, do about eight inches,” Gray-Fisher says. “Then, they’ll switch back and finish up so they’ll end up with about of foot of asphalt overlay.” She says flood water has been threatening to flow over those lanes and large rocks and sandbags are being used to hold it back.
Gray-Fisher says the lane closings will slow traffic. “There’ll be one lane always closed on the southbound lanes but you’ll still be able to get through there.” Gray-Fisher says the northbound lanes are high enough above current flood water levels and no work will be done there. Crews will be working on the southbound lanes for another week.