Part of I29 reopened

For those that didn't hear it yet, I 29 was opened north of Council Bluffs last week on Friday evening. So it will be easy to get from Omaha to Sioux City again. I did drive it, and pretty amazing to see how deep the water was over it in some places. Just North of where I680 goes west to the Morman bridge, the water was about 4 feet deep.

Didn't look like really any damage they had to repair on the highway, just a few little patches on the shoulder. No dirt hauled in, and no grass in the median and shoulders. Just silt and debris they had to haul off I'm sure. Still water standing in some of the fields.
Kaboom's Avatar
Anyone hear anything about when I-29 south of here will open? I haven't seen any word on that.
http://www.iowadot.gov/floods/Missou...t_09262011.pdf

Is a link to the last report issued Sept 26 from Iowa DOT about flooding and roadways. Sounds like there is a problem with some scouring on a bridge south of Council Bluffs.
Kaboom's Avatar
Thanks for the info, guess I'll be taking the long way to KC this weekend.
I expected lots of damage. Wonder if it's because it's a north/south road? I flew into Omaha a few weeks ago right over I-680, and it was a mess. Sounds like they hope to have one lane of 680 in each direction open between the Mormon Bridge and I-29 by the end of the year, if weather cooperates.
Kaboom's Avatar
I'm actually shocked they opened I-29 north of here, I expected there to be lots more damage to prevent it, which of course got my hopes up about south of here. Still, it's pretty amazing considering how much water there was, how long it was there, and that it's only just been seriously receding the last few weeks.
I expect a crossing from Rulo to I29 maybe this year. They only have a few miles of road to fix. I've gotten the Lincoln to St. Joseph route down to 2.5 hours.
They let contracts to fix I 680 from the Morman Bridge to I 29. They say they are hoping to have one lane each way opened yet this year, but really doubt that. They say luckily there wasn't as much damage to Hwy 2 down by Nebraska City. There was still water on on of the on ramps from Hwy 2 to I 29 just a couple days ago.