Stoddard County, Missouri - Crews with PWSD 4 work to repair a 6 inch water main break near the end of Hwy AD Sunday afternoon.  

Repairs were delayed most of the day because on call utility locate personal were unable to respond due to high water issues across southeast Missouri.

Photo by Tim Fowler.

Jefferson City, Missouri - In response to flooding and the state of emergency declared over the weekend, the Missouri Department of Transportation will allow heavier than normal truckloads of rock, sand and gravel to travel on Missouri highways.

The allowance will help get flood-fighting supplies to communities and expedite needed repairs of roads, levees, railroads, etc.

While the waiver is in effect, private and for-hire motor carriers may carry up to 10 percent more than their licensed weight on Missouri highways.

The waiver will remain in effect for through May 31. While the waiver is in effect, participating motor carriers are limited to:
• A loaded, gross weight no greater than ten percent (10%) above the gross licensed weight of the commercial motor vehicle;
• Transportation of rock, sand and gravel only within the State of Missouri;
• Drivers must obey posted bridge weight limits;
• When crossing a bridge, the driver must restrict the vehicle speed to no more than thirty miles per hour (30 mph);
• Travel is only allowed on non-interstate highways. NO TRAVEL IS ALLOWED ON MISSOURI INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS.

Update April 30 at 10:30 p.m.
 
Sikeston, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Transportation has closed several state routes in Southeast Missouri due to the recent flooding.

In addition, motorists are encouraged to watch for flash flooding. This could cause water to quickly rise in areas that were previously safe. MoDOT crews will continually monitor state routes, but motorists are also urged to stop and turn around if they discover a roadway has high water.  

Routes that are closed include:

Bollinger County:

Route DD-near Route 34 to 5 miles south of Route M (the near Bollinger/Madison County line)
Route H-north of Route 51
Route 51-near Route H
Route 91-Castor River Diversion Channel from Route T to Outer 91
Butler County:

Route 158-from Route 142 to US 67
Route 142-Route B in Ripley County to Route 142 in Butler County
Route N-CRD 243 to CRD 232
Route PP-at Cane Creek; CRD 449 to CRD 423/Route TT
Route W-CRD 542 to Route O; near Hilliard
Route M-at Cane Creek; west of US 67
Route JJ-west of River Road
Route O-north of CRD 502
Cape Girardeau County:

Route OO-from Route HH to CRD 375
Route A-from CRD 255 to Route U and at Route F
Route N-from Route U to Route NN and CRD 253 to CRD 254
Route F-at Route A
Route HH-from Route OO to end of state maintenance
Route U-from Route T to Route A
Carter County:

Business 60-at Van Buren; near James Street
Route 103-from Skyline Drive to Route Z
Route Z-from Route 103 to end of state maintenance
Route M-at Mill Creek and near Van Buren, Mo. at CRD 100
Route Y
Route K-between CRD 263 and CRD 239-2
Douglas County:

Route 76-at Fox Creek near Route 95 to east of Route C and from Route EE to Route 95
Route EE-at North Fork River; near Route AD
Route FF-at Hunter Creek; near Route 14
Route U-at Bryant Creek; south of Olathia
Route Y-at Cowskin Creek; approximately 3.5 miles after Route 76
Route 14-from Route 95 at Gentryville to Route AC
Route C-between CRD C-128 to just past the Wright/Douglas County line
Route W-near Route 95 at Vanzant to Route AH
Route AB-at Vera Cruz Access
Howell County:

Route 142-Route E to Route FF
Route UU-from Route 63 to east of CRD 2150
Route U-from Route UU to Route N
Route 63-from West Plains to south of Willow Springs, Mo.
Route 17-from Mountain View to Route 160
Route N-Northwest of Mountain Grove; between Shady Oak Road and Peterson Road
Route CC-from Dora, Mo. in Ozark County to Route AD in Howell County
Route AP-from Route 14 to Route P
Iron County:

Route 21-near Route 49
Route 221-Low Water Crossing-Pilot Knob to the Iron/St. Francois County line-LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY
Route 49-near Sabula; north of Annapolis and at Viburnum, near Red Bud
Route C-east of Route 49 to west of CRD 424 in Madison County
Route D
Route F-at Crane Pond Creek
Route 143-Route 34 in Wayne County to Route 49 in Iron County
Madison County:

Route C-east of Route 49 in Iron County to west of CRD 424 in Madison County and from CRD 445 to CRD 431
Route E-CRD 511 to CRD 515
Route O-from Route E to end of state maintenance
Route V-CRD 243 to Route F
Oregon County:

Route 99-at Eleven Point River at Thomasville, Mo.
Route 142-from CRD 243 to CRD 280; west of Calm/Route UU
Route 19-at Eleven Point River north of Greer and at Hurricane Creek at the Shannon/Oregon County line
Route M-near Elliot Ford; between CRD 347 and CRD 349 and at Route DD at Rover
Route Y-at Frederick Creek; between CRD 237 and CRD 242
Route 160-east of Route Y at Riverton
Ozark County:

Route 181-from Route H at Crossroads to Route N
Route 95-at Bryant Creek; between CRD 164 and CRD 156 and at Spring Creek; between CRD 136 and CRD 138
Route T-between CRD 518 and CRD 527
Route H-from CRD 352 to CRD 346
Route 160-at Route 95, Lutie, Mo. and at Norfolk Lake at Tecumseh
Route JJ-from CRD 920 to CRD 916 at Thornfield, Mo.
Route CC-from Dora, Mo. in Ozark County to Route AD in Howell County
Route J-Lick Creek; north of Howards Ridge
Route PP-North Fork River; near Route 160
Route EE-from Route O to end of state maintenance
Route N-near CRD 142 to the Ozark/Douglas County line
Route O-from Route 101 at Bakersfield to end of state maintenance
Route V-from Route O to US 160
Perry County:

Route 61-from CRD 506 to CRD 502
Route E-from CRD 534 to CRD 322
Route AA-between CRD 508/510 and CRD 522
Route A-from Wittenberg to CRD 448
Route B-from Route K to CRD 502
Reynolds County:

Route 106-from west of Ellington in Reynolds County to near Current River in Shannon County (east of Route H)
Route F-at Logan Creek
Route K-east of Route O to west of CRD 440
Route N-near Route MM; near Johnson Shut-Ins
Route B-CRD 786 to CRD 785 and CRD 758
Route P-Route 72 to end of state maintenance in Shannon County
Route HH-from Route RA in Reynolds County to Tacketts Pocket near Piedmont in Wayne County
Ripley County:

Route 142-near Oxly; west of Route T and at Doniphan, Mo.
Route NN-near North Prong Little Black River
Route 21-in Doniphan, Mo.
Route A-near 21S-3 to CRD A-7
Route Y-from Pumpkin Patch Road to CRD Y-3
Route 160-at Current River near Doniphan, Mo.
Route K-from CRD K-3 to CRD K-4
Scott County:

Route A-Route 61 to Route EE
Route E-at Commerce
Shannon County:

Route H- Route 106 to Winona, Mo.
Route KK-Piatt Road to Route K at Akers
Route W
Route NN
Route P
Route 19-from CRD 324 to 19B; north of Round Spring and at Hurricane Creek at the Shannon/Oregon County line
Route F
Route 106-East of Eminence, Mo. and at Spring Valley Creek; east of Summersville and near Current River (east of Route H) to west of Ellington in Reynolds County and from Alley Spring to Route E (due to slide)
Route MM-Route 99 to CRD 651
Route T-at Spring Creek
Route TT-Low Water Crossing located east of TT-683
Route 99-at Spring Creek; north of Route MM
Route M-from Route 60 to end of state maintenance
St. Francois County:

Route 221-at St. Francis River from Beal Road to Old Logging Road
Route F-near OO; from Old Jackson Road to Best Road
Ste. Genevieve County:

Route 61-Saline Creek/River Aux Vases; near Route U at St. Mary to 2.12 miles south of Route M
Route 32-from Gisi Road to Siebert Road
Route C-near Sprott Road
Stoddard County:

Route K-from Route BB to Route V
Route M-at Leora; near Route K
Route T-from Route 51 to Cobb
Route O-east of Advance; near CRD 310
Texas County:

Route BB-at Boiling Spring Access/Big Piney River
Route 32-from Hillcrest Road to Mason Drive
Route AF-from Hazelton Drive to end of state maintenance
Route F-at Houston; between 4th Street and Oak Hill Drive
Wayne County:

Route C-CRD 224A to Route 34
Route 143-Route 34 in Wayne County to Route 49 in Iron County
Route FF-CRD 378 to CRD 380
Route KK-south of CRD 456
Route 34-at St. Francis River Bridge; from Route 143 to CRD 310 (west of US 67)
Route A-at Otter Creek; near Route V
Business 67-from Route D to US 67; near Greenville, Mo.
Route 49-from Mill Spring, Mo. to CRD 440
Route HH-from Route RA in Reynolds County to Tacketts Pocket near Piedmont in Wayne County
Route D-at East Fork Lost Creek
Wright County:

Route AB-Wolf Creek; near Adamson Road
Route E-Gasconade River; from Robinette Drive to north of Broyles Road
Route Z-Elk Creek-between Emmerson Road and Clayton Road
Route C-between CRD C-128 to just past the Wright/Douglas County line
Motorists are encouraged to use extreme caution and plan alternate routes.

MoDOT also offers the following driving tips that can help avoid delays and unsafe conditions during rainy weather:

Turn on your headlights when windshield wipers are needed. It's the law.
Slow down, use caution, and don't use cruise control when driving in rain to avoid skidding and hydroplaning.
Leave plenty of following distance behind the vehicle in front of yours.
Never move or drive around barricades placed on roadways due to high water. Barricades are a warning designed to protect you from an unsafe condition. You can put yourself at serious risk if you proceed into a flooded section of road.
If a road is closed, find another route.
Do NOT drive into high water. Stop and turn around. Notify local police, the sheriff or the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
"Turn Around - Don't Drown" as highways become impassable.
For more information, please contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636)

Dexter, Missouri - On Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Dexter Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 13th opportunity in 7 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your pills for disposal to the police station at 305 Cooper Street.  (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.)  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last October, Americans turned in 366 tons (over 730,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners.  Overall, in its 12 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 7.1 million pounds—more than 3,500 tons—of pills. 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 29 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website or call the Dexter Police Department at 624-5512.

The Dexter Police Department is located at 305 Cooper Street.