Unexpected highway closures can quickly disrupt an RV journey. Staying one step ahead of these closures enables you to adjust your route with confidence.
Year-round
Highway closures happen year-round but seem to cause the most trouble during the summer months. That’s because the volume of folks traveling increases. Students are out of school. Summer weather is more easily predictable, and attractions are more likely to be available to visitors.
With more travelers on the road and more construction and highway repair scheduled for the summer months, it’s important for RVers to understand and use some tips for highway closures.
Types of delays
• Highway maintenance like pothole patching repairs often mean brief delays as one lane may be closed for a short period of time. Larger projects like bridge replacement often demand that a detour route be established.
• Special terrain like mountain landscapes often offer no alternative routes and extended traffic holds are common. You may choose to reroute your trip to avoid extended closures.
• Natural disasters also cause closures. Fires and flooding can close a roadway with little to no prior warning.
Any or all of these causes for highway closures can quickly derail an RV trip.
Navigating the closures
There are several ways that RVers can safely navigate road closures.
Sign up for WEA messages. Wireless Emergency Alerts send emergency messages to your cell phone. These may include weather warnings, AMBER alerts, national emergency notifications, and more. This service is free. You will find more information here.
GovOneStop. This service is in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They broadcast public safety alerts, emergency alerts, and weather warnings to American citizens. Learn more here.
511 traffic system. This system is a source provided by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. By dialing 511 on your cell phone, you’ll receive real-time traffic information (highway closures, accidents, and more). This service is free, and you can find out more here. (pdf)
Natural disaster closures
Fires, floods, and other natural disasters cause road closures, often with little to no warning. RVers can stay updated on these closures via the following:
National: Check FEMA’s Road Closure Portal for federal disaster zones. Or see the Federal Highway Information page.
Local: Check local radio and/or television stations.
Navigate closures smoothly
Here are some ways to safely manage road closures and alerts.
• Bookmark 511 sites: Save each state’s 511 page to your phone and enable push notifications where available.
• Use dedicated apps: Waze and Google Maps often integrate official DOT feeds and will auto‑reroute based on live closures.
• Plan fuel stops early: Extended detours can add mileage—identify fueling stations along alternate routes ahead of time.
• Check local news: Regional outlets (e.g., St. Louis Public Radio for eastern Missouri and Illinois, CBS Colorado for I‑70) often provide context on project delays and weather impacts.
• Flexible itinerary: Build buffer days around known closures so that your travel plans aren’t derailed by unexpected holds.
By keeping these closures—and your go‑to info sources—in mind, you’ll be ready to pivot routes, stay safe, and keep your RV adventure rolling. Happy trails!
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RVDT2667
On a recent trip through Ohio I looked at Ohio’s 511 website to see what construction was on I-90. There wasn’t anything posted on the website but we went through quite a few construction zones. I wonder if they didn’t post anything because the road wasn’t closed, just lane closures.
And most importantly, be careful with your GPS if there is some form of closure (looking at you Google). I’ve been diverted into areas that should NEVER have an RV when there are road problems. One time going through a place that shouldn’t even have any low ground clearance vehicle.
Garmin hasn’t done this to me yet….yet……
I grew up in Wyoming and have seen and heard of people getting in trouble trying to detour around road closures. Not following detour suggestions on google maps in the more rural western states is a very important suggestion. Road closures happen for a variety of reasons and google maps will detour you onto narrow secondary roads and even primitive unmaintained roads. This is especially important in late fall and winter times when snow is on the ground.
We had a real problem last fall in eastern Missouri. We are signed up for alerts and received notification that major bridge was out. Google routed us to take a ferry across the river—but we were driving a 37’ coach which, when I checked, was going to be too big for that ferry. We had to find out what the truckers were doing. It involved a long detour through several states. Be prepared.
Thanks for the links to timely information Gail.
You’re welcome. Here’s to no-closure trips!
Thank you for the suggestions, Gail! Have a great weekend and safe travels.