Road crews prepare for more rain and flooding

More rain could cause river and streams to overflow their banks again this week.

As of Tuesday, most of the water had receded on roads in Boone County.

However, with the threat of additional rain this weekend, road crews are putting in extra work to keep driving safe and they are keeping a close eye on roads they know flood.

Signs and barricades are already out tonight on streets known to flood near Columbia.

Roads off Bear Creek always give road crews a headache when heavy rain falls and are among the first stops for Boone County Public Works to place signs to warn drivers of flooding.

“From year to year, there will be more potential of flooding than other years, and we’ve seen all this before so we’re ready for it,” said Mike Glascock with Boone County Public Works. “We have our signs staged a lot better, we have a lot quicker response time.”

Officials say signs will not come down until the water goes down.

On Gillespie Bridge Road, the roadway is flooded and the water moving with a strong current.

Glascock says driving through water, even shallow water, is dangerous. Just a few inches of moving water can lift a car or SUV.

The other danger is washed-out roads. Part of the road could be washed away or gone. Debris can even damage the bottom of your car.