West-Bound Interstate 70 Closed in Mid-Missouri

Westbound Interstate 70 in central Missouri remains closed to traffic as state transportation officials attempt to fix a heavily damaged overpass. Traffic is being detoured around the accident scene. A tractor-trailer driven by 50-year-old Eugene White of Albany, Georgia slammed into the bridge columns of the Woodland School Road overpass near the 110-mile marker west of Columbia, shearing off one of the concrete columns which support the bridge. The wreck damaged a second column as well. White died in the accident. Officials with the Missouri Department of Transportation determined the overpass was too unstable to allow westbound traffic to keep driving underneath it. Eastbound traffic has not been affected. MODOT is having traffic take two separate detours. Trucks are being detoured over Route 40, leaving I-70 at Midway, the 121 mile marker, through Boonville to mile marker 102 where they will go back on I-70. Automotive traffic is being detoured over Route 98, leaving I-70 at the Route 179 exit, mile marker 111, and rejoining I-70 at the Route 87 exit at mile marker 106. MODOT expects to have I-70 opened for traffic again by late Sunday afternoon.