The closure of an approximately 30-mile stretch of Interstate 29 north of Fargo because of high water has generated grumbling among folks who have been inconvenienced by a lengthy detour.
Too bad.
The highway was closed because of what appear to be unprecedented floodwater levels in a vast area from north of West Fargo to beyond Argusville. The road was closed in both directions not because of an overreaction by the North Dakota Highway Patrol and other agencies, but because water rushing over the lanes posed a real danger to traffic. Moving water - even relatively shallow moving water - is a powerful force that can push vehicles into deep water-filled highway ditches.
For agencies charged with making the call to close the highway, it's a no-win situation. On the one hand, some folks are griping the road was not closed soon enough, and that when it was, notification was slow to reach travelers. On the other hand, commercial interests and commuters complain the additional miles of travel on the west detour on Interstate 94 and then north on Cass County 18 is inconvenient, bad for business and costly because of the high cost of gasoline and diesel fuel.
All true. But what is the cost of a life lost on a flooded highway? What is the cost of risking lives by keeping a clearly dangerous section of highway open? What is the cost of what surely would be frantic calls for rescue when thoughtless motorists tried to negotiate the flooded roadway and got into trouble? Which they surely would.
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Keeping I-29 open in this spring's flood condition was not an option. The decision to close the highway was the right call. And the road should remain closed until it's safe again.
Rural Cass roads
Vast tracts of Cass and other nearby counties are experiencing rural road damage on an unprecedented scale. Rural roads, culverts and bridges are at risk because of floodwaters moving across the landscape. Dozens of roads are closed. The water is moving so quickly that some roads go under before officials can get barriers placed.
Be careful. While landowners in flooded areas know the roads well, others traveling in the counties might not. A road that was sound yesterday could be washed out today. Most rural roads were not meant to act as dams; high water can undermine them quickly. A road surface might appear sound, but high water might have softened the road bed or pushed out a hidden culvert.
Take it slow. Don't go around roadblocks. There is no knowing if a flooded road just has a few inches of water on it or if it's been completely washed away.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board.
