I-90 closures in winter? (Rochester, Mankato: motels, house, employment)

[Rennfam]

As we continue our relocation research, my husband and I are being told that I-90 closes "12-15 times" each winter between Rochester and WI. ( Í have a job in Lacrosse, he's interviewing in Rochester) I've googled it and cannot find out anything except that gates exist. What's the news on the ground? Does it close this frequently? If so what do folks to about getting to work?
Thanks

[golfgal]

That sounds like a lot of closures. We don't typically have 15 major snow storms in a year, usually a few, 2 or 3, but not 15. If it is bad enough to close the freeway, your place of employment won't be open either, unless you work for a hospital, etc. then you call in because you can't get to work or you work an extra shift because you can't get home.

[aluminumpork]

Freeways rarely close completely, it takes quite a storm to consider one closed. I was driving North on I-35 with a good 2 - 3 and up to 6 or so inches. Closed? Nope

[fromupthere]

I know it closed near Dover once or twice last winter and the past 2 winters they've closed it farther west. It's been closed at I-35 (with part of I-35 closed too) but that was a very bad storm that hit. But definitely not as often as 12-15 times. If it does close it's likely due to very strong winds blowing snow across the interstate causing white-out conditions. I'm sure employers would understand if it was closed and someone wasn't able to get to work because of it.

[bighusker]

I doubt it's closed that much. I drove back and forth between Omaha and the TC a lot over the fall/winter and never had any problems. Even when surface streets are in pretty bad shape, the interstates are usually cleared off pretty quickly. Driving during an actual blizzard is a different story.

With that said, it may be hard to commute on a few days in the winter. Do you have a job where you could work from home on days like that?

[Rennfam]

Thanks for aall the input! and so fast! I also received info from the MN DOT who said that the section of I-90 between La Crosse and Rochester has been closed only once in the past 4 years and only for 2 hours at that!

[JenLee]

I-35 is a North-South Interstate and that usually doesn't close as often as I-90 (which is an East-West Interstate). For some reason, I-90 seems to get more snow than I-35 does, whether it be blown snow drifts or heavier snowfall. I-90 closes more often west of Rochester than east of it I believe.

Maybe DaninEGF can give some info here (I PM'ed him to visit this thread).

[kuan]

I-94 is the one that closes, and only as you get close to the ND border.

[fromupthere]

I-90 does close too. I-35 has closed too - small section of it but it has. When you drive across I-90 there are so many flat open areas around which is what causes the blowing across it. Obviously with MNDOT saying it's only closed once between LaCrosse and Rochester in the last 4 years, I wouldn't worry about it.

[DaninEGF]

Originally Posted by JenLee

I-35 is a North-South Interstate and that usually doesn't close as often as I-90 (which is an East-West Interstate). For some reason, I-90 seems to get more snow than I-35 does, whether it be blown snow drifts or heavier snowfall. I-90 closes more often west of Rochester than east of it I believe.

Maybe DaninEGF can give some info here (I PM'ed him to visit this thread).

Hi

From what I understand talking to sheriff and state police posts about road closures is that a lot depends of course on visibility. Typically in a blizzard or white out situation...winds are from the north or northwest (on the backside of a surface low). Thus with a north wind blowing across an east-west road you tend to get the snow to pile up a lot more into drifts either finger drifts as snow blows from the open field next to the highway and then across the road...versus a highway that is north-south when a north wind will blow the snow along the road and you will see less piling up. Thus any interstate or highway that is east-west will historically see more closures strictly due to low vsby issues in blowing snow. Of course too....the more open the landscape the worse the blowing snow. Areas from roughly near Morris to about Mankato then to Albert Lea and points west are much more flat and open with fewer trees than farther east. Thus one big reason why 90 would shut down albert lea west to sioux falls before it is shutdown eastward toward LaCrosse. Without heavy snow...there are enough hills and trees to block blowing snow in southeast MN versus southwest MN.

Another huge component is how many towns are there along the interstate which could house people who might get stranded. Albert Lea westward to Sioux Falls doesnt have many large towns and more sparsely populated than east of there. In Kansas and Colorado this plays a huge role as often interstates are shut down for 100 miles or more with the closures set up way ahead of the bad weather at the nearest bigger town...so that there are enough motels for people to stay.

In our area....I-90 from Albert Lea west to Sioux Falls and I-94 from Fergus Falls to Fargo are the two main prone interstates to shut down due to blowing snow issues. I-35 runs north-south and thus less prone to drifting in north winds and also is generally more populated with more towns along its path.

In North Dakota...east-west running I-94 will shut down much sooner than north-south bound I-29 for example due to the wind direction issue mentioned above.

I hope this explains a few things...

Dan