Heavy Rain Damages District 2 Roads; Highway 49 Bridge Repairs Underway

Around four inches of overnight rain Friday caused moderate damage to several roads in northern Crawford County as crews continued responding to the effects of recent flooding.

District 2 Commissioner Jared Boast said most roads remained passable despite scoured areas, fallen trees and other damage. Road District 2 crews began hauling rock and grading damaged sections at daylight on Saturday.

Crews also found several trees blocking roads and a large cross pipe that had washed out completely.

Repair efforts were complicated when a grader developed a broken hydraulic line and had to be taken out of service until repairs could be made.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Transportation is working to reopen Highway 49 after flash flooding damaged the Dry Creek bridge in early July.

MoDOT inspected the bridge July 10 and determined it was unsafe for traffic. The bridge has remained closed while the department’s bridge and maintenance divisions developed a repair plan.

The work includes repairing the bridge approach and supporting structure at the end of the bridge. Both were undermined by flooding and are missing in places, according to MoDOT. Guardrail repairs or replacement will also be required.

The department expects the work to be completed and the highway reopened by mid- to late August.

More than 1,000 vehicles use that section of Route 49 each day.