The Latest: Northbound lanes of Interstate 55 reopen near St. Louis

In this aerial photo, people use a canoe to navigate a flooded street, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Arnold, Mo. Surging Midwestern rivers forced hundreds of evacuations, threatened dozens of levees and brought transportation by car, boat or train to a virtual standstill Thursday in the St. Louis area. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (The Associated Press)

In this aerial photo, houses are surrounded by floodwater, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Arnold, Mo. Surging Midwestern rivers forced hundreds of evacuations, threatened dozens of levees and brought transportation by car, boat or train to a virtual standstill Thursday in the St. Louis area. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (The Associated Press)

Thomas Barnard removes the registration from fiancee Jessica Klick's 1995 Buick after floodwaters from the South Fork of the Sangamon River receded during a visit to the couple's home in Kincaid, Ill., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. The car was almost completely submerged during the flooding. (David Spencer/The State Journal-Register via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

The latest developments on flooding in the Midwest (all times local):

7:40 a.m.

The northbound lanes of Interstate 55 are open again south of St. Louis, and southbound lanes are expected to open later Friday.

Record flooding along the Meramec River forced closure of all lanes of the busy north-south interstate highway on Wednesday, snarling traffic in a busy area of St. Louis and Jefferson counties.

But the river has crested and the Missouri Department of Transportation opened the northbound lanes Thursday night.

MoDOT spokeswoman Shaunda White says water also has receded from the roadway of a 24-mile stretch of Interstate 44 that has been closed since Wednesday, but crews must clear debris from the pavement and inspect it to make sure it is safe for travel. She says I-44 may also reopen Friday.

Highway 109, another busy St. Louis County roadway, reopened around 6 a.m. Friday.