UPDATE: Flooded roads in area

The Minnesota Department of Transportation, State Patrol and Polk County Emergency Management are urging motorists to drive with caution as flooding continues to affect highways in northwest Minnesota. The following information was updated at around noon Tuesday, April 12.

State highways closed until further notice:

• US Highway 2 Business Loop – Sorlie Bridge from East Grand Forks to Grand Forks. All traffic must use the Kennedy Bridge on U.S. Highway 2.
• Louis Murray Bridge in East Grand Forks is closed.  Detour/directional signs are in place. Be alert to a four-way stop at US Highway 2 and Highway 220.
• Highway 75 at Perley, at Hendrum, on the north end of Climax at the Sand Hill River, and from the south junction of Highway 200 to Shelly
• Highway 220 at the Sand Hill River near Climax, and from Highway 1 near Oslo north to Highway 11
• Highway 317 from Highway 220 west to North Dakota Highway 17

State highway under watch:

• Highway 1 east of Oslo

State highways open but on the road –  extreme caution urged when driving:

• Highway 200 approximately 2 miles east of Laporte, approximately 12 miles east of Mahnomen at Twin Lake Creek, and approximately 17 miles east of Mahnomen at Roy Lake
• Highway 310 approximately 5 miles north of Roseau

Polk County highways with water over the road:

• County Road 21 west of Hwy. 220
• CR 61 2 miles west of Hwy. 75
• County State Aid Highway 1 west of Nielsville
• CR 220 from CSAH 1 to Hwy. 220 southwest of Climax
• Red River Bridge at Climax – water over the road on North Dakota side
• CR 223 at CSAH 9 and north 1,000 feet
• CR 225 west of Hwy. 220 for half a mile
• CR 64 at Center Street W to CSAH 22
• CR 22 at CSAH 70 to Marshall CR 9

Several township roads in Polk County are currently closed:  

• Fairfax – 330th St S from 1/4 mile each of Hwy. 9 to 220th Ave SW (1 3/4 mile east of Hwy. 9)
• Kertsonville – 330th St SW between Hwy. 102 and CSAH 46
• Hammond – 290th Ave south of CSAH 41; 300th Ave south of CSAH 41; 385th St/285th Ave at the intersection; and 390th St/300th Ave at the intersection
• Parnell – 230th Ave SW (gravel road north of CSAH 17)
• Hubbard – 300th Ave SE just south of CSAH 1, road washing out
• Lessor – 270th Ave SE to 290th Ave SE
• Reis – 240th Ave N between Section 7 and 8
• Columbia – 370th Ave SE just off of 410th St SE, road washing out
• Vineland – 350th Ave at CR 41; 390th St at 350th Ave; 390th Ave at Hwy 220; 390th Ave at 360th St; and 380th Ave at 360th St; 380th Ave at 350th St
• Bygland – 422nd Ave SW, road under water
• Higdem – 200th St at 500th Ave and 495th Ave at 17th St
• Esther – 480th Ave at 160th St
• Queen – 385th Ave at CSAH 27 in Section 29

MnDOT reminds people that every flood is dangerous to motorists and offers these bits of information:

• Expect the unexpected.
• Flooding can knock out bridges, undercut highways causing shoulders to give way and clog roads with mudslides and debris.
• Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.
• A foot of water will float most vehicles.
• Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles and pick-ups.
• Do not attempt to drive around barricades.
• Fluctuating water levels make it difficult to predict when and where water will go over or recede from a roadway.  

For the latest state road condition information, call 5-1-1 or go to www.511mn.org. For county and township information, visit the county's website at www.co.polk.mn.us.