COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
As snow continues to fall across Mid-Missouri early Monday morning, many roads have already been covered.
Road crews around the area are laying down sand in addition to salt to help with traction.
Eric Landwehr with Cole County Public Works said crews are treating the roads with a sand and salt mix and a calcium chloride liquid solution.
Landwehr said the salt does not have much effect if the temperature falls below 20 degrees, that’s where the calcium chloride comes in. Landwehr said it activates the salt during single-digit temperatures.
A full Jefferson City plow crews of 24 drivers reported for work at 4 a.m.
“With the forecast of snow through the day and the fact that chemicals are ineffective at these temperatures, we do not expect roads to improve much,” said Britt Smith with Jefferson City Public Works.
Smith activated parking division staff to clear parking lots and city-maintained sidewalks. To assist those working or visiting the downtown area today, the parking garage at the corner of Madison and Capital Avenue will be free of charge on Monday.
Greg Edington, the Boone County Road and Bridge Director, said the night plow crew was relieved at 7 a.m. by the dayshift crew.
“(We) will continue until (we’re) no longer needed,” Edington said.
The Boone County crews are also using a salt and sand mix for treatment.
We’re currently just below 2 inches accumulated, but more snow is expected. Whenever snow accumulates more than 2 inches, any vehicle parked on a designated snow route must be moved off of the roadway. This allows plow drivers space needed to do their work quickly and safely. pic.twitter.com/6ISjzcKrnf
— Columbia Public Works (@pub_works) February 15, 2021
Columbia Public Works said in a tweet that residents need to move their cars off of priority routes because of snow accumulation. If the cars are left on the streets, drivers could face a $100 fine and have the vehicle towed.
Sub-freezing temperatures and snow will continue Monday bringing upwards of six inches in some areas. The ABC 17 Stormtrack Team issued a Weather Alert Day through Tuesday for winter weather impacts.
The MoDOT Traveler Information Map said all major highways around Mid-Missouri were covered as of early Monday morning.
❄️❄️WINTER WEATHER ROAD CONDITION UPDATE 2/15 7AM❄️❄️
Roads are COVERED across the district for the morning commute. Conditions are treacherous and travel should be avoided if at all possible.
For updates throughout the day, visit https://t.co/Ss8XerOggV. pic.twitter.com/NHQcY4dQUb
— MoDOT Central District (@MoDOT_Central) February 15, 2021
In a tweet Monday morning, the state transportation department said roads were “treacherous” and asked drivers to stay home.
Some schools had already called off classes because of the winter weather. Check out the full list of school and community closures.