Snow plow crews turn focus to residential streets

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With snowfall slowing down, snowplow crews in Columbia and Jefferson City are turning their attention to residential streets and parking lots in the area.

Mid-Missouri was hit with a pair of winter storms this week, with the most recent occurring Thursday night and Friday morning. Roughly 4 inches fell in Columbia, according to the National Weather Service.

"We like to give our drivers as much freedom as we can," Jefferson City's Public Works Operations Division Director Britt Smith said, "What we tell them is, 'we've always got to keep your major roads in good and passable shape as best you can, if you can do that and work in the subdivisions at the same time, you're kind of jumping in and out, that's what we want you to do."

The City of Columbia has a similar system where snow plow drivers have certain sectors they are responsible for, cleared sectors can be found on the city's Street and Snow Priority Viewer.

Both cities also work to clear roads to a "drivable" or "passable" level. This means as long as a road is at least one car wide, regardless if snow covers the roads, it is considered somewhat clear.

"Passable means that a vehicle that's a front-wheel drive vehicle going well below the speed limit and using intelligent and prudent winter weather driving techniques can traverse the street," City of Columbia Public Works Public Information Specialist John Ogan said. "It doesn't mean driving is normal technically."

"The goal of it is to make it so that there's a priority road within 1000 feet of every residence, 1000 feet or less," Ogan said.

First priority routes include “Major residential and arterial streets for public safety needs,” and includes roads like Broadway, Green Meadows Road and Vandiver Drive, according to the city’s website.

Second priority routes include “heavily traveled collector and residential streets for Public Safety and City/school bus routes as well as streets connecting to schools, hospitals and other critical areas,” the city’s website says. Some roads in this tier include Fairview Road, Derby Ridge Drive and Parkade, the website says.

Ogan added on Friday afternoon that Columbia crews are working on "third priority" streets. Third priority streets are typically go through neighborhoods that connecting to major roads.

A full list of first and second priority routes can be found on the city’s website. Third priority routes can be found there, as well. Priority areas include Downtown and other neighborhoods.

A number of major roads in Columbia – including Stadium Boulevard, Highway 63, Interstate 70 and others -- are maintained by the Missouri Department of Transportation.