STODDARD COUNTY, MO (KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Transportation is warning drivers that Interstate 44 and the Will Rogers Turnpike will be under construction from July 5 until next summer.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is planning to fix about 4.5 miles of pavement between Oklahoma/Missouri state line to mile marker 325 in Oklahoma and completely rebuild the Five Mile Creek Bridges in Oklahoma.

Traffic in the area will be down to one lane in each direction just east of the Missouri state line.

Agriculture experts say they are very concerned about three types of bugs that are infesting southeast Missouri.

They are concerned about the Japanese beetle, the Emerald ash borer, and the Gypsy moth.

Dr. Mike aide, the chair of Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Agriculture, says the bugs could damage the area's forests and crops.

 "The great migrations are yet to come," Dr. Aide said. "The Emerald Ash Borer has decimated thousands and thousands of trees in Michigan.  It's now becoming present in our region and all of these insects are going to play a greater role in our home maintenance, our agriculture in the future."

Dr. Aide says complete infestation could occur in the area within the next two to 25 years.

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Route 114 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction from County Road 731 to County Road 737 beginning Wednesday, June 22 to waterproff the asphalt.

The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and is expected to be completed on Friday, June 24.

Waterproofing the asphalt will help extend the life of the newly replaced bridge, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

For more information, contact Southeast Regional Field Engineer Andy Meyer at (573) 472-5296, Assistant Resident Engineer David Wyman at (573) 840-9781 or 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636), or visit www.modot.org/southeast/safeandsound.htm. 

Copyright 2011 KFVS. All rights reserved.