Great River Road, locks and dam closed for flooding

The Great River Road is flooded out and closed until further notice.

As of 3:30 p.m. Monday, the Illinois Department of Transportation has ordered the closing of Illinois Route 100 in both directions from Alton to Clifton Terrace. Barricades have been placed at the city limit signs, while some lanes remain open for local business traffic.

In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed Mississippi River Locks 24 in Clarksville and 25 in Winfield Sunday, while the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam on the Kaskaskia River was closed on June 18. So far the locks at Mel Price in Alton and the main lock chamber at Locks 27 in Granite City remain open.

The closures were needed to protect critical components and facilities from high water, according to a statement by the Corps of Engineers. The locks and dams are navigational structures designed to maintain the nine-foot navigation channel along the rivers.

For more information on the status of Route 100, call the Alton Police Department at 618-463-3505.

This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Great River Road, locks and dam closed for flooding."