MoDOT, local road agencies prepare for coming winter storm
Matthew Sanders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Transportation and Missouri State Highway Patrol warned drivers to be careful this weekend as a winter storm bears down on the state.
Much of Mid-Missouri was placed under a winter storm warning on Thursday. The warning starts early Saturday and lasts through 6 p.m. Sunday. Up to 8 inches or more of snow is possible, with extreme cold also in the forecast.
The high Saturday in Columbia could top out in the single digits, with lows near 0 degrees. Those low temperatures will slow down snow-clearing operations, MoDOT officials said at a Thursday news conference.
Snow will move into the Columbia area from the southwest after midnight, moving to the northeast. The highest totals are expected south of Interstate 70. Sleet is possible in far southern Missouri.
MoDOT Deputy Director Ed Hassinger said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that the department started coordinating preparations Wednesday and will have 3,000 MoDOT crews working 12 hour shifts to treat the roads before, during and after the storm.
During severe winter weather, MoDOT says it runs on a system when treating the roads with main roads with heavy traffic being first priority. That includes interstates like I-70, I-44 and I-55.
“Our teams will be fully deployed across the state until we get everything to near normal and open to traffic but that could be into next week because that could be until next week because the temperatures are not going to get much above freezing and there won’t be any sunshine until middle of the week next week,” Hassinger said.
MoDOT crews will be using salt around the clock to keep the roads clear, but how effective it is can depend on the temperature.
“It takes 10 times more salt at 10 degrees than it would at 30 degrees so it becomes ineffective but we do have chemicals that we can add to that salt magnesium, calcium, beet juice makes it more effective at lower temperatures, what we do is patrol and plow,” Becky Alleroth Chief Safety and Operations Office with MoDOT said.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol will also have Troopers out across the entire state during the storm and after to respond to calls as quickly as possible. However, they are short 100 Troopers statewide, according to Capt. Scott White.
“We will be visible and proactive during this weather event, our goal is to prevent crashes, injuries and loss of life, we have adjusted staffing across the state and this is based on the anticipated conditions,” White said.
White encourages drivers to not be out on the roads unless they absolutely need to be. He urges drivers to be prepared with several items in your vehicle because a minor incident could quickly turn life-threatening. He wants drivers to keep in mind conditions on the roads can slow down response times for Troopers.
“Help can take longer to reach people, if you must travel what people do before hand is really going to matter that means checking your tires or fuel levels, make sure you keep a winter survival kit with blankets, water food and a phone charger that important thats probably one of the best tools people can have out there,” White added.
To be aware of weather conditions, the MoDOT traveler’s map provides hour by hour weather conditions across the entire state.
Cole County Public Works wrote in a Facebook post that a small crew will work early Saturday, with a larger crew coming in for a day shift.