Hazardous winter weather forced transportation officials to expand closures along Interstate 35 Sunday (12/28) afternoon. The Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Department of Public Safety closed I-35 between Ames and Clear Lake because of icy pavement, snow squalls, and strong winds creating dangerous conditions during the Blizzard Warning that had been issued by the National Weather Services’ Des Moines office.
The closure stretched from Exit 111 at U.S. Highway 30 in Ames to Exit 194 at U.S. Highway 18 in Clear Lake, with barriers placed at exits and on-ramps to prevent additional traffic. Drivers already on the road were allowed to continue but were urged to exit and seek shelter as soon as possible. Later in the afternoon, officials closed I-35 even farther north into Minnesota, extending the shutdown to Owatonna as conditions worsened across the region. There were also reports that the Iowa Department of Transportation also pulled snowplows off the roads, citing dangerous conditions that made it unsafe for crews to continue operations.
Officials encouraged travelers to shelter in larger communities with available services and warned against using alternate routes, which were also hazardous. The interstate was expected to remain closed until weather and road conditions improved and cleanup could be completed safely which was anticipated to be sometime Monday (12/29) morning.
