I-44 Buckles Near Doolittle

On Tuesday afternoon near Rolla, the summer heat resulted in a section of Interstate 44 buckling, leading to multiple vehicles colliding with the damaged road surface. As a result, westbound traffic was limited to a single lane near the 176-mile marker, situated between the Doolittle and Sugartree exits, just west of Rolla. The Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District shared a Facebook post describing the incident as a “major blowup” of the interstate. According to their explanation, a blowup occurs when the surface of the road expands at a crack or joint where moisture has infiltrated. This crack weakens the pavement, ultimately causing it to buckle and deform due to the intense heat.