More Highways Closed as Little Missouri Rises (Road CLosures)
UPDATE 7-18-2019 12:45 p.m.:::: As the Little Missouri River continues to rise following heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, the ARDOT has closed additional highways due to high water or damage from flooding. Highway 195 in Pike County, Highway 19 in Nevada County and Highway 53 in Gurdon have been closed, while some have been reopened.
Roy Rd. and Nathan Rd. in Pike County are the only roads in Pike county we have confirmed are closed. According to Pike County Road Foreman Tommy Parker, Nathan Rd. will be closed for a couple of weeks at least due to damage.
We are still working to get information on any road closures for Howard, Nevada and Clark Counties and will continue to update as conditions change.
Current confirmed road closures:
- I-30 East Outside Lane between Prescott and Gurdon (Slope Erosion)
- Highway 371 between Blevins and Prescott (Culvert Washout)
- Highway 195 N between Hwy 371 and Hempstead 267
- Highway 195 from Hempstead 260 to Pisgah
- Highway 53 in Gurdon between Highway 67 and I-30 (Bridge Approach Washout)
- Hempstead 25
- Hempstead 27 S
- Hempstead 16
- Hempstead 25
- Hempstead 27 South
- Hempstead 28
- Hempstead 30
- Hempstead 41
- Hempstead 45 South
- Hempstead 231
- Hempstead 264
- Hempstead 269
- Hempstead 282
- Hempstead 333
- Roy Rd of 301 in Pike County
- Nathan Rd in Pike County
Judge Jerry Crane encourages the public to please proceed with caution.
The ARDOT has reopened both I-30 and Highway 67 between Hope and Prescott. Traffic is still congested in areas and several roads and highways in northern Hempstead County remain closed.
Extreme heavy rain in much of the area has resulted in major flooding, causing hazards and damage to many county roads and highways.
I-30 east of the 30 mile marker was shut down for about an hour by ARDOT but is now being opened back up at this time. Highway 67 between Hope and Prescott has been closed due to high water.
Some areas of have received as much as 8 inches of rain according to the National Weather Service. Rescue operations staged out of Nashville, which has also been hit with major flooding, are working to rescue residents stranded in the Dierks area after the area was hit with extreme flooding.
Several county roads and some highways have been closed due to high water and damage from the water.
There are other closures that have been reported that we are trying to confirm. Some may be opened again if water has receded and the roads and bridges aren’t damaged but everyone is advised to be cautious and not risk crossing flooded areas even if they haven’t been closed at this time. According to the National Weather Service, most deaths during flooding occur in vehicles.
The NWS says that while the greatest concentration of showers and embedded thunderstorms containing heavy rainfall have shifted east out of Southwest Arkansas, additional scattered showers and thunderstorms may redevelop over this area this afternoon, before diminishing by or shortly after sunset. However, runoff will continue this afternoon in wake of the heavy rainfall that fell this morning, with widespread flooding persisting across much of Howard, Northern Hempstead, and Northern Nevada Counties.
A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect until 2 p.m., a Flash Flood Watch in effect into this evening and River Flood Warning for Little Missouri River through Friday. The river is expected to crest at 25 feet Thursday, the highest it has been since 1982, before beginning to recede again.
We are following the situation closely and will update this list throughout the day.
