Emergency Relief Program Resilience Case Study – Iowa: Erosion Control for Flood-Prone Roadways
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Abstract:On March 12, 2019, the State of Iowa and other parts of the Midwest experienced a disastrous weather event that brought heavy rains and higher than average temperatures to the area. This weather caused rapid snow melt within the Missouri River system and exacerbated the water levels of the Missouri River and other local river systems in Mills County, Iowa. These high-water levels caused the levee system located where the Platte River connects with the Missouri River to overtop and fail. Floodwaters from the failed levee combined with more flood water from the north and overtopped U.S. Highway 34 (US 34) on its east-west section. US 34, a 4-lane divided highway, is a major connector to the State of Nebraska for freight movement and is one of the limited options to cross the Missouri River; the closest alternate route is 12 miles away. The flood destroyed a 3.5-mile section of US 34. The full roadway cross section was damaged in parts, and floodwaters eroded the foreslope, causing the pavement to break and undermine both the roadway and the embankment. Additionally, granular entrances were washed out, and pipes were displaced or damaged. The roadway was closed to traffic for several months, resulting in a 30-mile detour. Immediately following the event, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) began emergency repairs to restore essential traffic to US 34. By May 2019, the site was repaired by replacing existing roadway sections, restoring the embankment, and adjusting and replacing displaced and damaged pipes. The restoration-in-kind emergency repairs, which cost $6.8 million, were funded with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Emergency Relief (ER) Funds.
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