Route 54, east of Holts Summit down to one lane after pavement blowup

Route 54 near Holts Summit was down to one lane Tuesday afternoon after a pavement blowup.

MoDOT crews report it happenedon Route 54 east just outside of Holts Summit.

MoDOT says crews have closed one lane and are running traffic up the shoulder of the road.

This comes just days after MoDOt warned mid-Missourians about possible pavement blow ups dues to the extreme heat.

Pavement blow ups happen when temperatures are hot and humidity is high. The pavement expands when water seeps into the concrete, and the roads heat up. If there is a crack in the pavement, the two pieces can push against each other and pop up.

MoDOT Central District Engineer told ABC 17 news that pavement blow ups are similar to an earthquake, it’s hard to prevent, and they happen so quickly.

MoDOT also mentioned to not be surprised if we see much more of these pop up in Mid Missouri, with the high heat and humidity.

So far, within 2016 the numbers are already much higher that in 2015, which only had 1-2 reports according to MoDOT.

If you see any pavement blow ups, MoDOT asks that you call 888-ASK-MODOT.