© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Other

Jefferson City airport will be flooded; push on to save highway

A view of the Missouri River bridge at Jefferson City, on Tuesday afternoon. (photo from KRCG)
A view of the Missouri River bridge at Jefferson City, on Tuesday afternoon. (photo from KRCG)

By Marshall Griffin, KWMU

Jefferson City, MO – Jefferson City's airport and one of its major highways are in the path of rising flood waters on the Missouri River.

Governor Matt Blunt took time off from his regular duties Tuesday to help fill sandbags that'll be used along U.S. Highway 63, which connects the capital city with Columbia.

He says the Army Corps of Engineers right now is more concerned about Jefferson City than St. Charles or St. Louis.

"Once it gets past here, there will certainly be some spots that they watch, but this is really probably the largest, uh, metropolitan area that should be particularly concerned at this point about the flood's impact," the governor said."

The Missouri is forecast to crest at 10 feet above flood stage on Saturday, which could send chest-deep high water into the lobby of the city's airport.

MO-DOT Director Pete Rahn says they'll need 20,000 sandbags to keep Highway 63 from flooding.

"We've been using prison crews," Rahn said Tuesday. "At this pace, and the materials that we're gonna be using, we're very hopeful."

SEND YOUR PHOTOS OF THE FLOOD TO KWMU. INCLUDE YOUR NAME, HOMETOWN, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTO.

Other