Just as ice storms have left Missouri, a new storm front is bringing snow to much of the state this weekend. Road crews with the Missouri Department of Transportation will once again be out around-the-clock plowing snow to keep state highways clear.
MoDOT prioritizes state highways to make sure the busiest are cleared first:
Priority 1: Roads with the highest traffic volumes are cleared first. These include interstates and other major routes, which receive continuous treatment throughout a storm.
Priority 2: Lower-volume lettered and numbered routes are cleared next. Traffic on these routes may be impeded until higher-volume routes are open and clear.
Even after all the roadway surfaces are as clear as possible, MoDOT’s work is not done. Workers then must clean up the accumulation on shoulders, bridge edges and interchanges. This work is usually completed during normal working hours.
The goal is to return the Priority 1 routes to a wet or dry condition and to plow and treat the critical areas of all other routes as soon as possible after the storm ends.
To get up-to-the-minute road conditions before you leave the house, visit MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map at www.modot.org. The map shows the condition of all major state highways, and will help you determine where it’s safest to drive. The department’s toll-free customer service number will also be answered live around the clock at 1-888-ASK-MODOT.