The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced at noon on Tuesday that westbound lanes of I-44 near the Missouri-Oklahoma border are closed.
The closures begin at mile marker 11, so the last opportunity for westbound drivers to divert course is Exit 11 which will send drivers to Missouri Route 249 or I-49.
One westbound lane of I-44 near Sarcoxie is also closed after two multi-vehicle crashes. The first occurred at Mile Marker 29 and involves three tractor-trailers, a pickup pulling a trailer, and a Sarcoxie Police vehicle. The Officer was uninjured, but injuries to other drivers and passengers is unknown at this time. The second crash was initially reported as an “injury crash” but the Missouri Highway Patrol says no one has been badly hurt.
Signs and messages will alert drivers of the closures, but MoDOT is urging others to find alternate routes using the MoDOT Travelers Information App.