ROLLA, Mo. – Drivers are dealing with significant traffic backups Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 44 near Rolla.
MoDOT reports that some drivers are backed up as much as 20 miles on the I-44 from Rolla to St. James.
According to MoDOT’s Gateway Guide, crews are responding to a crash in the westbound lanes of I-44 in Phelps County near milemarker 179. As of noon, some westbound traffic was stalled all the way to milemarker 195.
MoDOT shares the following message: “Motorists are advised to avoid this stretch of Interstate 44. There is currently no estimate on the clearing of the incident. Westbound motorists should exit as early as possible to seek alternate routes or a safe place to wait out the closure.”
The backups come one day after a major snowstorm slammed much of Missouri, anywhere from several inches to nearly a foot in southern parts of the state. Some parts of the highway are still covered with snow.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area and use alternate routes if possible as crews work to clear the scene.
U.S. Route 63 southbound can serve as an alternate for getting to Springfield, Missouri. Motorists can use U.S. Route 63 southbound at Rolla to U.S. Route 60 westbound to U.S. Route 65 northbound at Springfield to return back to I-44. However, overweight or oversized trucks are not permitted to take that detour.
Track changing traffic conditions here with MoDOT’s Gateway Guide.
This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.