I-44 Bridges Closed at MO59/I-49/I-44 interchange. Hit by crane

[intelati49]

2023-06-13

Visible damage.

Will be interesting to see the migration of the damage

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/joplin-news-first/crane-going-under-i-44-at-fidelity-strikes-girders-under-i-44-overpass-bridges/article_b90bf73a-0a1e-11ee-bf17-7fdc73c075b9.html

[fhmiii]

I just drove under this bridge about a month ago.  While I-49 to MO-59 isn't as big a deal (though I'm sure it's inconvenient to some locals), the loss to traffic in both directions on I-44 is a major problem.  Hopefully it gets fixed soon.

[LilianaUwU]

Ugh. As if we needed more major Interstates being ruptured. How can someone not know the height of their crane?!

[kphoger]

This is why Interstate shoulders should be maintained just as well as the travel lanes.  With crossovers, maybe they could have kept one lane open in each direction on the eastbound carriageway.

[The Ghostbuster]

If coming from the north or the south (on Interstate 49), one could detour via MO 249 and MO 171 (and no I don't think Interstate 49 should be rerouted to follow this alignment, now or ever). Local roads would be utilized if coming from the east or the west.

[Bobby5280]

I didn't see anything in terms of news coverage about this. The news media was going on and on about the tanker truck fire and bridge collapse on I-95 in Philadelphia and how that was going to disrupt Interstate commerce across the Eastern Seaboard. Never mind the fact two nearby super highways in New Jersey (I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike) run parallel to that damaged section of I-95. The news folks never mentioned the useable bypass routes. Why let facts get in the way of a good doom and gloom story angle?

On the other hand I-44 is an arguably major Interstate route -at least it is from St Louis to Oklahoma City. A hell of a lot of truck traffic hauls goods back and forth between the Northeast US and Southwest using I-44 as part of the journey. The interchange with I-44, I-49 and MO-59 can be bypassed, but not in a very neat manner. It looks like the best shot for Westbound I-44 traffic is taking the I-49 ramp and I-49 North up to the MO-249 almost Interstate and coming back down to I-44. They say one Eastbound lane of I-44 is closed, but I'll bet they end up closing off the whole bridge to be on the safe side. That would be Eastbound I-44 traffic on East 32nd Street over to MO-59 and then back up to I-44.

[Rothman]

I didn't see anything in terms of news coverage about this. The news media was going on and on about the tanker truck fire and bridge collapse on I-95 in Philadelphia and how that was going to disrupt Interstate commerce across the Eastern Seaboard. Never mind the fact two nearby super highways in New Jersey (I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike) run parallel to that damaged section of I-95. The news folks never mentioned the useable bypass routes. Why let facts get in the way of a good doom and gloom story angle?

On the other hand I-44 is an arguably major Interstate route -at least it is from St Louis to Oklahoma City. A hell of a lot of truck traffic hauls goods back and forth between the Northeast US and Southwest using I-44 as part of the journey. The interchange with I-44, I-49 and MO-59 can be bypassed, but not in a very neat manner. It looks like the best shot for Westbound I-44 traffic is taking the I-49 ramp and I-49 North up to the MO-249 almost Interstate and coming back down to I-44. They say one Eastbound lane of I-44 is closed, but I'll bet they end up closing off the whole bridge to be on the safe side. That would be Eastbound I-44 traffic on East 32nd Street over to MO-59 and then back up to I-44.

Because it's not nearly the same situation.  I-95's bridges have to be totally replaced.  As stated in the updated article, I-44 will still have a couple of lanes open.

Midler over I-690 in Syracuse just got smacked, too, which will require some serious lane closures as the girder(s) are heated up and bent back into place.  I'd imagine the I-44 girders will be repaired in a similar manner through a similar "where and when" contract.

I-95 is a much, much bigger deal.

[GaryV]

Besides, a big fiery explosion is much more newsworthy (read: photo/video op) than just a crane hitting a bridge.

[intelati49]

The following ramps at Exit 18 are closed:

Westbound I-44 to Southbound Missouri Route 59 off-ramp
Northbound Missouri Route 59 to Westbound I-49 on-ramp
Eastbound I-44 to Northbound I-49 off-ramp
Southbound I-49 to Eastbound I-44 on-ramp

Additional traffic impacts:

Two Westbound I-44 lanes OPEN at Exit 18
One Eastbound I-44 lanes OPEN at Exit 18
All Southbound I-49/Missouri Route 59 lanes OPEN
Only one Northbound Missouri Route 59/I-49 lane OPEN
Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the work zone
No signed detour

From: https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/missouri-news/wb-i-44-lanes-at-mm-18-5-close-after-crane-hits-girders/

SM-G715U1

[Bobby5280]

This morning both directions of I-44 were closed just North of Lawton. A semi crashed and rolled over near the Key Gate exit on Fort Sill. That put thru traffic on a fairly long bypass to go around Fort Sill.

[kphoger]

This morning both directions of I-44 were closed just North of Lawton. A semi crashed and rolled over near the Key Gate exit on Fort Sill. That put thru traffic on a fairly long bypass to go around Fort Sill.

Odd location for that.  I-44 around Lawton has plenty of curves that could spell disaster for a truck going too fast, but Key Gate doesn't strike me as such a location.  Do you know what caused the crash?

[Bobby5280]

I haven't heard any details about the cause of the accident. If I had to guess I figure someone wasn't paying attention. Either the truck driver or other motorists near the truck. Someone doing a no look lane change could run a truck off the road. It could even be someone falling asleep behind the wheel. The accident happened before 7:00am. That section of I-44 at Key Gate is sub-standard (especially the I-44 main lanes bridge over Sheridan Road; old structure, no shoulders at all). Anyone veering out of their lane in that location can easily trade paint with other vehicles.

[CtrlAltDel]

The following ramps at Exit 18 are closed:

Westbound I-44 to Southbound Missouri Route 59 off-ramp
Northbound Missouri Route 59 to Westbound I-49 on-ramp
Eastbound I-44 to Northbound I-49 off-ramp
Southbound I-49 to Eastbound I-44 on-ramp

That is, all the loop ramps at this cloverleaf interchange.

[Strider]

That is why I-44/I-49 East Interchange should have a flyover ramp (or more?) (especially I-44E/I-49N to I-49 N going to Kansas City). The cloverleaf interchange is just about to get outdated...

[bugo]

I don't think Interstate 49 should be rerouted to follow this alignment, now or ever

Why not? It's a better, newer, more modern road, and it avoids a 1 lane loop ramp to stay on I-49 at I-44. When going NB on I-49, I always take it to avoid the loop. You have to make a left turn onto the I-49 northbound ramp at MO 571, but at least it isn't a loop. Carthage is usually a good place for a break, so I usually stop at the McDonald's or Burger King, so the at grade ramps aren't a big deal. Southbound, I stay on I-49 because there is no loop ramp, and the ramp from WB 44 to SB 49 is a high speed ramp with 2 lanes.

[intelati49]

I don't think Interstate 49 should be rerouted to follow this alignment, now or ever
Why not? It's a better, newer, more modern road, and it avoids a 1 lane loop ramp to stay on I-49 at I-44. When going NB on I-49, I always take it to avoid the loop. You have to make a left turn onto the I-49 northbound ramp at MO 571, but at least it isn't a loop. Carthage is usually a good place for a break, so I usually stop at the McDonald's or Burger King, so the at grade ramps aren't a big deal. Southbound, I stay on I-49 because there is no loop ramp, and the ramp from WB 44 to SB 49 is a high speed ramp with 2 lanes.

Yes. I do think it's a ultimate routing around the 249. It's  a matter of the environmental stuff which I have literally zero idea of the status.

Just turn the cloverleaf at Exit 18 into a plain Jane diamond and call it good

SM-G715U1

[MikieTimT]

I don't think Interstate 49 should be rerouted to follow this alignment, now or ever

Why not? It's a better, newer, more modern road, and it avoids a 1 lane loop ramp to stay on I-49 at I-44. When going NB on I-49, I always take it to avoid the loop. You have to make a left turn onto the I-49 northbound ramp at MO 571, but at least it isn't a loop. Carthage is usually a good place for a break, so I usually stop at the McDonald's or Burger King, so the at grade ramps aren't a big deal. Southbound, I stay on I-49 because there is no loop ramp, and the ramp from WB 44 to SB 49 is a high speed ramp with 2 lanes.

I agree.  Southbound, there's no contest, but northbound, we also tend to stop over there in Carthage at Arby's for onboarding and offloading ourselves.  A 2 lane flyover for northbound MO-249 to northbound I-49 and southbound expansion to 2 lane is a no brainer, and really the only thing stopping the alignment for I-49 from eliminating the concurrency with I-44 along with the outdated cloverleafs.

[CtrlAltDel]

I don't think Interstate 49 should be rerouted to follow this alignment, now or ever

Why not? It's a better, newer, more modern road, and it avoids a 1 lane loop ramp to stay on I-49 at I-44. When going NB on I-49, I always take it to avoid the loop. You have to make a left turn onto the I-49 northbound ramp at MO 571, but at least it isn't a loop. Carthage is usually a good place for a break, so I usually stop at the McDonald's or Burger King, so the at grade ramps aren't a big deal. Southbound, I stay on I-49 because there is no loop ramp, and the ramp from WB 44 to SB 49 is a high speed ramp with 2 lanes.

Interesting. I don't think I've never modified a route I would otherwise take just to avoid a loop ramp.

[bugo]

Interesting. I don't think I've never modified a route I would otherwise take just to avoid a loop ramp.

I have motion sickness, and I try to avoid loop ramps because sometimes I get dizzy when driving on one. I usually don't get sick when I'm driving, but I have a few times. If I ride in the back seat, I have to be able to look forward, because if the car makes a move that I don't expect, it will often make me instantly sick. The last time I flew, I got extremely sick because the plane was about to land, and it abruptly slowed way down in preparation for landing, and I immediately got extremely sick. I somehow didn't throw up, but I came very close.

[Rothman]

Interesting. I don't think I've never modified a route I would otherwise take just to avoid a loop ramp.

I have motion sickness, and I try to avoid loop ramps because sometimes I get dizzy when driving on one. I usually don't get sick when I'm driving, but I have a few times. If I ride in the back seat, I have to be able to look forward, because if the car makes a move that I don't expect, it will often make me instantly sick. The last time I flew, I got extremely sick because the plane was about to land, and it abruptly slowed way down in preparation for landing, and I immediately got extremely sick. I somehow didn't throw up, but I came very close.

Huh.  Just one loop ramp makes you sick?  That's interesting.

Seems very unique, though.  Dodging loop ramps isn't something I'd consider.

[intelati49]

Actually thinking about it, I wonder how many people take 249 vs this way?

Turning left back on 49 shouldn't take super long...

Edit: funny. I didn't consider that Google Maps would have the loop ramps closed... thus making any comparison impossible..

[bugo]

Actually thinking about it, I wonder how many people take 249 vs this way?

Turning left back on 49 shouldn't take super long...

Edit: funny. I didn't consider that Google Maps would have the loop ramps closed... thus making any comparison impossible..

I had the same idea you had, and saw that Google routed traffic away from the I-44/49 interchange at Fidelity. According to Bing, the MO 249/MO 171 route is 1.4 miles shorter than staying on I-49. It shows the 249/171 route to be 1 minute quicker than taking I-49.

[MikieTimT]

Actually thinking about it, I wonder how many people take 249 vs this way?

Turning left back on 49 shouldn't take super long...

Edit: funny. I didn't consider that Google Maps would have the loop ramps closed... thus making any comparison impossible..

I'm one of them.

I do not use it to avoid any disorientation, but to avoid 1 extra exit, one of which is the tight loop onto I-49 northbound, and to avoid the merging/weaving on the short onramps that cloverleafs mandate along with the truck traffic on the I-44 concurrency.  MO-249/171 is by far the superior route with much less traffic despite being a fully controlled access facility with the same speed limit that can actually be reached, unlike the I-44 concurrency.  Flyovers in Carthage to/from MO-171 make rerouting I-49 a complete no-brainer.

[fhmiii]

Actually thinking about it, I wonder how many people take 249 vs this way?

Turning left back on 49 shouldn't take super long...

Edit: funny. I didn't consider that Google Maps would have the loop ramps closed... thus making any comparison impossible..

When I drove down to Louisiana last month, I stayed on I-49 south and ended up missing the cloverleaf interchange because I was trying to adjust my streaming music.  I was annoyed that Apple Maps had directed me onto MO-249, but when I looked at the map after I got to Shreveport I understood why.

When I came back, I took MO-249 northbound and, aside from waiting 1 or 2 minutes for the light to change to get back onto I-49 North, it was a much better ride.

[intelati49]

Even taking into the 'superfund' aesthetic in parts, it really is the more interesting ride as well. South of Carthage is pretty bog standard Missouri

SM-G715U1