Ice, rain, floods delay road repairs

Weather emergencies have exhausted the Missouri Department of Transportation's contingency fund.

According to Tonya Wells, MoDOT senior community relations specialist, MoDOT sets aside $5 million annually for the unexpected, typically winter storms like the ones that blew through in February. That money is gone now.

As of March 1, MoDOT's District 10, which handles work within Southeast Missouri counties, used $706,717 of the department's contingency money.

Over the last five years, District 10 has needed an average of $478,808.

Wells said that, according to District 10 engineer Mark Shelton, the budget is somewhat strained. The state is working to document costs. Some of the money may be replaced by FEMA grants.

"It's amazing how a one-day event results in these repercussions," Wells said.

Road repairs, which have taken a back seat to weather emergencies, have been rescheduled. Repairs are funded by a separate account and will continue, weather permitting, she said.

"We've had some instances with the roads being flooded and we've reopened, but so much water caused so much damage," she said.

Meanwhile, state bridge engineer Mark Phillips has been keeping busy inspecting District 10's bridges: 1,500 owned by counties and 1,200 belonging to the state.

He said he's seen a lot of "scour action" — erosion around bridges caused when rain fills the rivers and the water's velocity speeds up.

"We've got some impacted more severally than others," Phillips said. And a few, like Scott County's Route W bridge between routes CC and P, were still covered with water until Sunday. He said the road approaching the bridge has partially washed away.

Any damage to the Route W bridge should be "corrected relatively easily" but first, the water has to dissipate.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127