Flooding closes Cole County roads
Several Cole County roads were closed Wednesday because of flash flooding and rising river waters.
Cole County Public Works road superintendent Larry Bishop said most low-water crossings along the Moreau River are covered in water after 3 to 4 inches of rain fell on most of mid-Missouri Tuesday into Wednesday. Another 1 to 2 inches was possible by Thursday morning.
He said crews have closed some of the roads with barricades, but he urged drivers to pay attention to posted signs because road workers are unable to barricade every location, “We have so many crossings we can’t sign everything with barricades, so we just do the more high speed ones or in spots where at night you can’t see or get turned arround.”
Bishop said they are continuing to monitor river levels with the threat of more rain coming in, “The Moreau’s are just going to keep coming up, so there’s not much we can do there until the water recedes and we see what kind of problems we have, nd then just address them at that time.”
The Missouri River has risen quickly and is expected to continue its rise for the next few days, topping out near major flood stage at Jefferson City later this week.
Bishop said drivers should turn around if they come up on roads that are covered in water, even if the water does not appear to be moving.
Ten roads in Cole County were closed by mid-morning Wednesday:
The 8700 block of Payne Road The 11100 of North Branch Road The 5500 block of Loesch Road The 5900 block of Bainer Road The 3100 block of Zion Road The 6100 block of Buffalo Road The 1400 block of Waterford Road The 1300 block of Murphys Ford Road The 2800 block of Meadowsford Road
Missouri Capitol Police also warned state employees who park near the Truman Building about flooding in a parking lot from the adjacent Wears Creek.
ATTENTION Missouri State Employees who park in Lot 12 near the Truman Building. Part of the parking lot is flooding as Wears Creek rises. Please move your vehicle if you parked in the affected area of the lot. pic.twitter.com/WrXL6GXJgV
— Capitol Police (@MoCapitolPolice) May 1, 2019
Officals have closed a section of state parking lot 12 until the water levels go down. They mentioned this happens at least once of twice per year.
