The Iowa Department of Transportation will be closing the Interstate 29/680 interchange near Loveland at 6 p.m. today due to flooding.


This will result in closures being placed at the following locations:

* I-680 west- and eastbound from milepost 21 near Beebeetown (Pottawattamie/Harrison County Road L-34) to the I-29/680 interchange (milepost 71 near Loveland).

* I-29 south- and northbound lanes from the I-29/680 interchange to the I-29/U.S. 30 interchange (milepost 75 near Missouri Valley).

Local and I-29 regional corridor traffic should follow the posted local detours.

For interstate travelers planning to use I-29 simply to travel through Iowa, the Iowa DOT suggests selection of an interstate route that avoids the flood-warned area along the Missouri River corridor entirely. Travelers can utilize any of the other interstate routes that remain available.

Interstate routes not expected to be impacted by flood waters are:

* I-80 from east to west across the entire state
* I-35 from north to south across the entire state
* I-235 in Des Moines metro area
* I-380 from Iowa City to Waterloo
* I-74 and I-280 in the Quad Cities
* I-480 bridge between Council Bluffs and Omaha

I-29 remains vulnerable to additional closures due to the flooding. After the I-29/680 interchange is closed, I-29 will be closed from milepost 55 in Council Bluffs to milepost 75 near Missouri Valley.

Additionally, I-29 and Iowa/Missouri 333 will close at Hamburg to occur within next 48 hours. The Iowa Department of Transportation is making preparations for the closure due to a breach of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levee located in Atchison County, Mo., which occurred earlier today.

There is no imminent danger to the roadways since flood waters must first cover the expansive basin area before reaching the roadways. The roadways will remain open as long as possible. The public will be notified when the closures are taking place.

These roads cross the Iowa and Missouri state lines and will be closed at the following locations:

* I-29, from the Iowa 2 interchange (milepost 10 in Iowa) to the U.S. 136 interchange (milepost 110, near Phelps City, Mo.)

* Iowa/Missouri 333, the entire route will be closed

Key traveler information resources

Travelers can call the Iowa DOT's flood hotline at 1-866-452-8510 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for personal assistance. After hours, call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (out of state) for a recorded message of closed roads.

View the flooded Iowa roads map for road closures, detours and areas at risk of flooding - http://tinyurl.com/3o2mtlp