It’s probably safe to say Missouri Department of Transportation road crews are not among those who dream of a white Christmas. Nonetheless, with snow falling on Christmas Day, MoDOT workers are out doing what they do best: keeping the roads clear.
“Bad weather doesn’t take a holiday and neither do our maintenance folks,” MoDOT Director Pete Rahn said. “We’re responsible for making sure people get where they want to go safely, whether it’s a holiday or not. We’ll be out until the roads are clear.”
MoDOT geared up for this storm by sending crews and equipment from its St. Louis, southeast and south central districts to battle the storm in northwest Missouri, which is expected to get the most severe weather.
MoDOT spends about $41 million a year on snow and ice removal, one of the department’s biggest, most visible jobs. Last year, approximately 3,000 dedicated employees spent more than 465,000 hours using 1,650 snow-removal vehicles to clear state roadways.
Rahn said each winter storm has its own unique challenges, so he’s pleased the public has rated the agency’s efforts to handle winter weather favorably.
“In a recent survey, 77 percent of Missourians said MoDOT met their expectations for snow and ice removal,” Rahn said. “We’re proud of that, but we’ll keep working to get that number even higher.”
In addition to snowplowing, another key service MoDOT provides during winter storms is its Traveler Information Map. Located at http://www.modot.org/, the map shows the latest conditions for major roads throughout the state. Travelers can also call MoDOT’s toll-free number, 888-ASK-MODOT, to get road condition information.