Lane of Interstate 70 closed for emergency repairs

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A lane of Interstate 70 eastbound in Columbia was closed Friday morning for emergency repairs, again.

But engineers hope this time they have solved the problem.

The area near mile marker 131 and the St. Charles Road exit has been closed multiple times for emergency repairs dating back to last year.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said in a news release that the closure was expected to last into Friday evening.

The agency said the on-ramp to I-70 from St. Charles Road was also closed. Traffic cameras showed a long line of vehicles backed up on eastbound I-70 in Columbia on Friday afternoon.

Jeff Gander, MoDOT's project manager for improvements on Interstate 70, said an unusual amount of moisture under the road is causing the pavement to shift. Workers tried a new approach Friday by adding new drainage features, he said.

"Every time we go in there, we try to, we try to do it a little better than we did last time," Gander said. "And this time we went above and beyond and put that drain tile in there. So hopefully, this is the last one.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area.