Missouri River bridge site of many crashes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The area around the Missouri River bridge has seen 16 injury crashes over the past five years, not including a crash that snarled traffic on the westbound approach to the bridge Wednesday morning.

Crashes often accompany rain where Interstate 70 crosses the Missouri River on the Boone and Cooper County border. A total of five cars were involved in the crash Wednesday. The crash at about 7:30 a.m. shut down a westbound lane of I-70.

The crash delayed traffic for about an hour. The patrol's Troop F said the crash involved injuries but more information was not available early Wednesday afternoon.

Two people were injured in the crash, luckily everyone was wearing their seatbelts.

Another I-70 crash was reported later in the morning several miles from the bridge near the Providence Road exit.

It's not clear how weather factored in to either crash.

Brandi Baldwin, the project director of the I-70 Rocheport Bridge, said it is important for drivers on the bridge to slow down and pay attention when driving in severe weather.

"We please ask people to buckle up and slow down first and foremost. And if we have weather like we did today where its raining or it may be foggy, slow down and drive with regards to the conditions of the roadway," Baldwin said.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack team has issued a Weather Alert Day for Wednesday with heavy showers, straight-line winds and thunderstorms possible into the evening. Heavy downpours hit the area Wednesday morning, with more than a quarter-inch of rain reported by 10 a.m. at the Columbia Regional Airport.

Mid-Missouri is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7 p.m.