Winter storm leads to Interstate closures and hazardous road conditions

The winter storm wreaking havoc across the state is causing schools, events, and roads to be closed for another day.  Interstate-90 is closed from Mitchell to Rapid City, and Interstate-29 is closed from Watertown to the North Dakota border.  Governor Kristi Noem said that closing the Interstate is an indication of how bad the conditions are.

Noem said that state officials are monitoring conditions and will open and close roads accordingly. 

The State Department of Transportation warns motorists that secondary highways are in most cases in worse condition than the Interstates.  SD511 shows No Travel Advisories posted on almost all secondary highways throughout central and western South Dakota. 

Several more are listed as “Road Impassable”, which means travel is physically impossible due to deep snow and drifts.   The DOT said that as the system continues to advance through the state, road conditions on secondary highways in eastern counties are expected to worsen.

At this point, as this complex storm system continues to cause freezing rain, snow, and sustained high wind, the SDDOT asks that motorists please avoid travel.

More information on road conditions in the state can be found by visiting sd511.org or by using the state Department of Transportation’s 511 mobile app.  

December 15, 2022