Latest news with #MoDOT
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The science of road buckling, amid statewide concerns
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)— Across the United States, roadways are buckling under the pressure of extreme heat, and Missouri is no exception. In one dramatic incident in southwest Missouri, a vehicle was launched into the air after hitting a road buckle caused by soaring temperatures. Road buckling occurs when concrete pavement expands due to intense heat. Concrete naturally expands in hot weather, but when it exceeds the capacity of the joints built to absorb that movement, the pressure causes the pavement to heave or 'pop,' creating dangerous ridges or breaks in the road surface. As summer temperatures continue to rise, the risk of buckling becomes more serious, including here in St. Joseph. Marty Liles, the Northwest District Engineer, explains that there's no real way to predict when these concert blowups" will occur. However, when temperatures start to rise, Marty and his crew begin closely monitoring the roads for any signs of buckling. Preventative maintenance is key. Road crews typically monitor high-risk areas, inspect expansion joints and may make relief cuts or seal cracks to reduce pressure buildup. Materials like asphalt are less prone to dramatic buckling but still degrade in extreme heat, meaning long-term infrastructure planning is also essential. Marty and his MoDOT crew heavily rely on the public's help when it comes to identifying road issues. "We also rely on our, the public, to call and let us know if they see those issues out there on the roadway. For now, drivers must stay alert for sudden road changes and report any pavement issues they encounter to the Missouri Department of Transportation by calling 1-888-ASK-MoDOT or by visiting their website,
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Crash involving semi-truck causes backup on I-44
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. — A crash on eastbound I-44 near Halltown held traffic to a standstill for a couple of hours Thursday morning. MoDOT said the accident occurred at around 6:20 a.m. near mile marker 57, causing eastbound I-44 to briefly close. Lightning strike damages Skywarn repeater tower in Walnut Grove According to Sgt. Mike McClure with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the traffic incident was due to a rollover crash that involved a semi-truck. No one reported injuries in the crash, McClure said. Traffic was backed up from MO-174 to near the Halltown area, but the roadway is now back to being completely open. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WATCH: Car goes airborne as road buckles under extreme heat in Cape Girardeau
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A video is circulating throughout social media as a road buckled under this weekend's intense heat in a second, causing a car to go airborne. The video, taken by Albert Blackwell, shows several cars passing over what first was a small bump. It was marked by a construction sign and a cone in the middle of the road near the Honda dealership in Cape Girardeau. Later in the video, that bump had visibly grown. As one car passes on the other side, the road suddenly shifted and buckled just a split second before another car reached it, forcing the vehicle to fly into the air. WATCH: Car goes airborne as road buckles under extreme heat in Cape Girardeau When we experience extreme heat, roads can crack, buckle, or warp, according to MoDOT. They told FOX 2 in a former report that this happens when a crack in the roadway has moisture that's seeped in, forcing the crack to grow and expand. The pavement gets to be weaker from the crack, the heat then causes the road to buckle and warp. MoDOT says it never truly knows when or where a pavement buckle may occur, but when it gets hot outside, there is potential everywhere. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
WATCH: Car goes airborne as road buckles under intense heat in Missouri
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KTVI) – A video circulating on social media shows a road in Missouri buckling under this weekend's intense heat, causing a car to briefly go airborne. The video, taken on Sunday by Albert Blackwell, shows several cars passing over what first appears to be a small bump on the road in the city of Cape Girardeau. Later in the video, the bump has visibly grown. Then, as one car passes on the other side, the road suddenly shifts and buckles just a split second before another car reaches it, sending the vehicle into the air. '[T]he road exploded and rose over 18 inches,' Blackwell said, in part, in a statement obtained by Storyful. Eastern half of US sweltering again, with dangerous heat wave expected to last until midweek Roads can crack, buckle, or warp in extreme heat, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT told Nexstar's KTVI in a former report that this happens when moisture seeps into a crack in the roadway, forcing the crack to grow and expand. The pavement gets to be weaker from the crack, and the heat then causes the road to buckle and warp. MoDOT says it never truly knows when or where a pavement buckle may occur, but it's more likely when it's hot outside. Much of the country was sweltering under intense heat on Sunday, with temperatures of 90 degrees F or higher estimated to affect roughly 245 million Americans as the heat wave continued into Monday. Almost 10% of the country will feel blistering 100-degree heat on Tuesday, a meteorologist who spoke with the Associated Press predicted. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Hill
WATCH: Car goes airborne as road buckles under intense heat in Missouri
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KTVI) – A video circulating on social media shows a road in Missouri buckling under this weekend's intense heat, causing a car to briefly go airborne. The video, taken on Sunday by Albert Blackwell, shows several cars passing over what first appears to be a small bump on the road in the city of Cape Girardeau. Later in the video, the bump has visibly grown. Then, as one car passes on the other side, the road suddenly shifts and buckles just a split second before another car reaches it, sending the vehicle into the air. '[T]he road exploded and rose over 18 inches,' Blackwell said, in part, in a statement obtained by Storyful. Roads can crack, buckle, or warp in extreme heat, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT told Nexstar's KTVI in a former report that this happens when moisture seeps into a crack in the roadway, forcing the crack to grow and expand. The pavement gets to be weaker from the crack, and the heat then causes the road to buckle and warp. MoDOT says it never truly knows when or where a pavement buckle may occur, but it's more likely when it's hot outside. Much of the country was sweltering under intense heat on Sunday, with temperatures of 90 degrees F or higher estimated to affect roughly 245 million Americans as the heat wave continued into Monday. Almost 10% of the country will feel blistering 100-degree heat on Tuesday, a meteorologist who spoke with the Associated Press predicted. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
