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I-80 Westbound Remains Blocked in Pottawattamie County

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March 10th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa – March 10, 2013 – 6:35 p.m. update – Eastbound Interstate 80 between Shelby (exit 34) and Avoca (exit 40) in Pottawattamie County has reopened to traffic; however, the the westbound lanes remain closed. This segment of the interstate has been impacted by the high winds and snow, which contributed to several multiple vehicle crashes. The Iowa Department of Transportation and emergency response agencies are on the scene working to clear the incidents as quickly as possible, but several semi-tractor trailer units are involved which is making it difficult. There are multiple tow trucks on the scene. A detour remains in place for westbound travelers using U.S. 59 (exit 40) north, Iowa 44 west and Pottawattamie County Road M-16 south through Shelby.

Motorists who have been stuck in the traffic for several hours in the westbound lanes are now being redirected by law enforcement on the scene to the nearest exit and onto the detour route. Snow has been making its way eastward across the state and has now entered areas east of I-35. According to the Iowa DOT’s road weather information system, sustained winds of 20-30 mph are reported west of I-35, with gusts reaching 40 mph. Slick road conditions and limited visibility at times can be expected.

For Iowa road condition information, visit http://www.511ia.org; call 511 in Iowa or800-288-1047 nationwide; or visit Twitter @iowadot or @statewideia511. Use the hashtag #iatraffic when tweeting about this winter storm.