Many Flood Damaged I-29 Exits Months Away From Re-Opening

It has been ten months since the flood waters began rising in western Iowa and the damage is still disrupting people's lives. Some drivers will likely have to continue to go out of their way for several more months.

David Dines used to get onto Interstate-29 at the McPaul exit, just a jump away from his home in Thurman.

"Normally three minutes to get to the interstate now I have to go 18 miles out of the way to report to work on time,” Dines told WOWT-6 News

"From Highway 2 to Highway 34 there's not one good exit with the exception of Percival,” said Dines.

Some roads leading to the exits are still a long way from being reopened. Mike Crecilus is the Emergency Management Director for Fremont County. "The road department has spent way over 50 percent of its budget already and we have to go until the 30th of June,” Crecilus told WOWT-6 News

That leaves them dependent on outside funding for the fixes. "Of course the county has to pay the contractors upfront, and then turns around and submits paperwork to FEMA to get reimbursed,” Crecilus says.

Crecilus says those reimbursements are taking the time. "FEMA has been very slow about getting that back to the county,” said Crecilus. And money isn't the only factor being taken into consideration

"With what we're hearing now from the Corps of Engineers to expect more flooding in the spring, it would be a direct misuse of the public's money to repair these roads knowing they're going to get demolished again,” said Crecilus.

The IDOT and Fremont County have begun meeting to start coordinating their repair efforts at the at the Interstate-29 exit in McPaul. The goal is to have the exit and the county road leading to reopening at the same time.

(Photo: 6 News)


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