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St. Louis - AP - Dredging operations in the middle Mississippi River are finished for the winter.

The Army Corps of Engineers has been using two dredges, one from Memphis, Tenn., the other from St. Louis, to help keep the river channel clear. The work has been especially important this winter because the river level has been near historic lows, threatening barge traffic.

The corps says the dredges need seasonal maintenance, and crews are due for time off. The dredging season normally ends in November but was extended in the so-far successful fight to keep the river open.

The two dredges removed more than 8 million cubic yards of sediment in the last six months in the area between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. The corps says that is more than twice the normal amount.

MoDOT has detailed ramp closures this weekend due to Mardi Gras activities.

Saturday ramps in both directions of 55 will close at Arsenal and Gravois, as well as the northbound 55 ramp to 3200 Broadway. Those ramps will all be closed from 6AM to 4PM. The eastbound I-70 ramp to Broadway will be closed from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. for the Fat Tuesday parade and activities. A complete list of closures can be found below:

On February 11 once a day closures of I-64 will begin at the new I-64 Daniel Boone Missouri River Bridge to blast rock adjacent to the eastbound lanes on the St. Charles County end of the bridge. Traffic will be stopped for up to 10 minutes at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. weekdays for about one month.

The following lane closures are all weather permitting:

Thursday, February 7 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the express lanes will be closed I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge. I-70, St. Charles County, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., one lane closed in either direction just east of Mid Rivers Mall Drive. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Friday, February 8 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the express lanes will be closed I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. one lane closed on eastbound from Halls Ferry to Route 367. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge.

Saturday, February 9 I-64, St. Louis City, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., one lane closed on eastbound I-64 from 14th Street to the Poplar Street Bridge I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge.

Sunday, February 10 No work zones planned

Monday, February 11 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-44, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., two right lanes closed eastbound at Berry Road. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. one lane closed on southbound from McDonnell to Route 370. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Tuesday, February 12 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-255, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one lane closed on northbound at the JB Bridge. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Wednesday, February 13 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-255, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one lane closed on northbound at the JB Bridge. I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. one lane closed on southbound from McDonnell to Route 370. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

IRVING, Texas (AP) - The Boy Scouts of America's national executive board has delayed a decision on whether to lift its longstanding ban on gay scouts and leaders.

BSA said Wednesday the organization will take action on the resolution at its national meeting in May.

The organization said last week it was considering a shift of its policy, which has led officials to remove gay leaders and scouts. That announcement pushed years of debate over the policy to an even higher level.

President Barack Obama - Scouting's honorary president - spoke in favor of letting gay scouts in. Others opposed a shift. Protesters on both sides rallied at BSA headquarters in Irving, outside Dallas.

Scout leaders across the country will now have to decide how to handle a very delicate issue.