Winter Weather Operations Update, January 16

Published on January 16, 2022

Hey, KCK! After working through the night plowing and treating Hot and Secondary Routes, the Snow Crew moved into Neighborhoods to put down a salt/sand treatment.

Road temperatures in neighborhoods are expected to rise above freezing for several hours today, which means the salt/sand treatment placed overnight will make plowing today more effective.

There are 145 Neighborhood Routes in Kansas City, Kansas. The Snow Crew always approaches routes in the same order: Hot Routes are first, Secondary Routes are second, and Neighborhood Routes are third.

Hot Routes are major roads like State and Parallel and streets that serve police stations, fire stations, hospitals, and schools. Secondary Routes are streets that move traffic from neighborhoods to Hot Routes. Hot and Secondary Routes have much higher traffic volumes than Neighborhood Routes.

Although no snow event is the same, as a rule of thumb, it usually takes 10 to 12 hours after the snow stops falling to plow and treat Hot and Secondary Routes. Neighborhood Routes generally take 48 hours to plow or treat, assuming no interruptions to move back to Hot or Secondary Routes.

As the Snow Crew continues their work in neighborhoods, keep the following tips in mind:

On-Street Parking

• Don’t park in the street whenever possible. It is dangerous and difficult to plow streets congested with parked vehicles. Some streets may not be plowed if plows cannot safely maneuver them.
• The most helpful thing residents can do to facilitate snow removal is to get their cars off the street and encourage others to do the same. Residents with no other option other than on-street parking should park as close to the curb as possible.

Driveway Clearing

• One of the most frequent concerns in the removal of snow from public streets is snow being pushed back into driveways during plowing operations. As plows travel along streets, the snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go but on the adjacent streets and in driveways. The more snow that has fallen, the greater the problem will be.
• Residents can reduce the likelihood of snow blocking their driveway by shoveling snow to the right while facing the street. Doing this will help snowplow drivers avoid carrying piles from the “upstream” side back across driveways.
• In addition, shoving or blowing snow/ice into streets may cause hazardous conditions to other drivers. Residents and property owners are encouraged to follow the directions above in both commercial and residential areas.

For more tips, view or download Public Works’ Helpful Tips for the Winter Season PDF.

If you’re out and about today, remember to slow down and give the Snow Crew plenty of room to work safely in neighborhoods.

To learn more about winter weather operations, view frequently asked questions, and read Public Works’ Snow & Ice Removal policy, visit wycokck.org/Snow.

To report a service issue, dial 3-1-1 or visit mywyco.wycokck.org.