Repair Schedule for Damaged Missouri Highway Unclear

A section of central Missouri highway damaged by an explosion will remain closed until further notice because of extensive damage.

Ron Calvin, with Missouri’s transportation department, said Missouri 15 near Mexico is pitted with damage for about 600 feet, with some of the pits 10 inches wide.

The highway was closed early Sunday after a section of the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline ruptured. The resulting explosion cooked out the oil from the 600-foot portion of the road.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports the depth of the damage isn’t known and the road surface remains unstable.

The department said in a news release that it is working to find materials that will temporarily fix the road. The repair schedule is uncertain because of frigid temperatures and potential weekend rain.