Interstate 90 Reopening Plans and Additional Closure for Friday, Dec. 23, 2022
Update 1 p.m. (MT) / 2 p.m. (CT)

Posted on: December 23, 2022   |   Category: News

For Immediate Release: 
Friday, Dec. 23, 2022

Contact: 
Craig Smith, Director of Operations, 605-773-5155

PIERRE, S.D. – One section of Interstate 90 is being reopened while another section is being closed on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, as conditions continue to change with the storm system moving easterly across the state.

   
I-90 Updates:

  • OPENED: I-90 (westbound ONLY) from Murdo to Wall has been reopened. Wall to Rapid City (westbound ONLY) opened earlier this morning.
  • CLOSURE: I-90 (eastbound ONLY) from Sioux Falls (Exit 402) to Minnesota state line has been closed as the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) issued a closure for I-90 from the state line to the city of Albert Lea at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
  • The following sections of I-90 remain closed:
  • Rapid City to Murdo (eastbound)
  • Murdo to Sioux Falls (both eastbound and westbound)

Clean up efforts are being slowed and delayed due to stuck vehicles and continual snow drifting. Progress will be monitored in these sections and will be reopened as soon as conditions safely allow. SDDOT anticipates additional sections of I-90 to reopen through late afternoon as conditions improve, vehicles blocking the Interstate are removed, and drifting is cleared.

Travel Conditions:

Due to the extremely cold temperatures and windy conditions, applying chemical and salt are not effective treatment options.

  • Travelers should expect to encounter ice-covered roads and snow covered shoulders. 
  • Snow removal equipment will be working to remove ice in the driving lanes and snow remaining on shoulders.
  • Please use extra caution and reduce travel speed.

No Travel Advisories continue to impact state highways across South Dakota, with many highways physically impassable from blockages of large snow drifts, stranded vehicles, and completely plugged bridges.

   
SD511 Notifications:
For the latest on road and weather conditions, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511. Sign up for customized notifications on https://sd511.org for this free service that allows you to receive text messages and/or email notifications about road closure updates and travel advisories along routes of your choice.

To access all the latest information, please click on the December 2022 Storm Information graphic on the homepage of the SDDOT website at https://dot.sd.gov/.

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