By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

UPDATE:  I-29 is closed again. See our latest story.

Interstate 29, closed in northwest Missouri due to flooding, has reopened.

The Missouri Department of Transportation closed I-29 last night after floodwaters covered U.S. Route 59 near Mound City and began to wash over I-29. MoDOT worked with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to re-route travelers.

Traffic on I-29 at Highway 59 has been narrowed to one lane.

MoDOT cautions motorists to monitor conditions in the area and not to drive over flooded roadways or around barricades.

Multiple roads in northwest Missouri closed due to flooding overnight. MoDOT has been posting the latest on the impact of the flooding in northwest Missouri on a special website. You can access it by clicking here.

MoDOT urges motorists to report any flooded roadway without barricades by calling MoDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service line at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Water releases from Missouri River upstream dams will be increased as runoff from heavy rain and northern snowmelt pour more water into the Missouri River Basin.

Chief of Missouri River Water Management John Remus with the Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division says the Corps plans to increase water releases from Gavins Point Dam from 65,000 cubic feet per second to 70,000 today.

“Just about every time it rains, we see a significant increase in the runoff. It just is not prudent to run these reservoirs all the way to the top and give us zero flexibility to manage runoff events,” Remus tells a Corps of Engineers conference call.

Remus says that if the Corps doesn’t increase runoffs now, future runoffs would be even more destructive to flooded areas downstream. The Corps had increased releases from Gavins Point to 60,000, then increased it to 65,000. Remus holds out the possibility that an increase to 70,000 today won’t be enough to handle the influx of water into the six upstream Missouri River dams.

The Corps says rainfall over much of Nebraska, South Dakota, and central North Dakota has been 200 to 600% of normal the past few days. The continued rain has led to higher inflows at Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavins Point Dams.

The increase comes as northwest Missouri battles renewed flooding. The extra water being poured into the system will add to the pressure on a Missouri River Basin levee system saturated. Many levees are broken.

Chief of Emergency Management Jud Kneuvean with the Corps’ Kansas City District admits he worries how the increased releases will impact dams already straining under the pressure of floodwaters.

“But the answer is ‘Yes.’ We are constantly evaluating that and constantly concerned that the levee systems won’t be able to take anything else,” Kneuvean says.

Kneuvean notes the levee system has had to hold up under flood conditions since mid-March. Kneuvean says, overall, the federal levee system is performing well. Other private levees have been failing up and down the Missouri River.

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Missouri might soon not require adult motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

The legislature repealed the mandatory motorcycle helmet law for those 18 and older who carry qualifying medical insurance. Those younger than 18 would still be required to wear helmets.

The legislation now goes to the desk of Gov. Mike Parson for his signature. Parson supported repeal as a member of the legislature.

St. Joseph Safety and Health Council Executive Director Sheldon Lyon declines to comment directly on the General Assembly’s action, but does say it’s only smart for motorcyclists, riding a vehicle with a small silhouette, to wear protective gear.

“It’s harder for operators of a motor vehicle, like a car, to see a motorcycle,” Lyon tells St. Joseph Post. “So, anytime you’re in a vehicle like that you want to protect yourself and that includes riding gear:  your boots, your gloves, goggles, helmet.  All of those things are important to keep yourself safe while you’re enjoying your motorcycle.”

Missouri is in the minority among states. Only 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, mandate the wearing of motorcycle helmets, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Lyon says whether the mandatory motorcycle helmet law is repealed or not, the council will continue to advocate for the wearing of motorcycle helmets.

“I understand the fact that there is a feeling of freedom when you ride the motorcycle and, for some, they’re very much opposed to the helmet law,” Lyon says. “I think, as an advocate for highway safety, we know those helmets save lives and so, I think, with the repeal of the helmet law, you’re going to see the number of brain injuries increase.”

Legislators opposed to the change warn repeal will lead to more deaths and serious injuries on Missouri roadways. Repeal has been before the General Assembly for years. In 2009, lawmakers passed a mandatory motorcycle helmet repeal law, but couldn’t overcome a veto by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Click here to read about Senate Bill 147, the motorcycle helmet repeal law.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

UPDATE:  I-29 has closed again, due to flooding in southwest Iowa. Click here for our latest story.

With floodwaters receding Wednesday morning, Interstate 29 is back open north of St. Joseph.

The Missouri Department of Transportation posted on Twitter that as of 8:50 Wednesday morning, I-29 between St. Joseph and the Iowa state line is back open. The road was closed late Tuesday night at U.S. Route 71 due to water over the road on U.S. Route 59 in Mound City.

MoDOT said many areas across northwest Missouri are still flooded and motorists should check http://traveler.modot.org  before traveling.

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Interstate 29 is once again closed at U.S. Route 71 (mile marker 57) due to flooding in Missouri.

According to a press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation Tuesday night, water is over the road on U.S. Route 59 in Mound City and has begun to go over I-29 near mile marker 85. MoDOT is working closely with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to reroute travelers.

I-29 detour information:

• Kansas City area thru traffic – use I-35 to Iowa
• St. Joseph area thru traffic – use U.S. Route 71 north
• Local traffic is able to utilize I-29 to reach their homes and businesses by either going north on U.S. Route 71 and west on U.S. Route 59 or northbound I-229 to northbound I-29.

For the most up-to-date information on this flooding event, go to modot.org/2019-northwest-missouri-flooding.

MoDOT is urging everyone to closely monitor conditions in their area, heed all evacuation notices, and never enter a water-covered roadway or drive around barricades. Just a few inches of flood waters can force a vehicle off the roadway. In addition, it is not uncommon for roadways and shoulders to be damaged when flooded, creating unsafe conditions for motorists.

If you come upon a flooded roadway without barricades, do NOT drive through the water. Pull over to a safe location and call the MoDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service line at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636) to report it.