Columbia Public Works crews out overnight treating roads

Columbia Public Works said it had a full crew working overnight to treat the roads. It said there were about 25 pieces of equipment salting the roads. Crews are starting with inner streets and moving toward the outer streets. During the next winter event, they will reverse the order.

Temperatures will continue to drop throughout Saturday and a refreeze is very likely. Columbia Public Works is asking residents to avoid driving if possible.

Public Works is expecting a similar or worse winter event today as the temperatures drop. It said it will have crews on standby monitoring the weather and street conditions throughout the weekend.

Columbia official Steve Sapp said about 50 percent of residential streets were treated overnight. He said the salt will become ineffective as a melting agent when the temperatures drop again after being dissipated with the melted ice.

Sapp said the city will enforce snow routes and remind drivers not to park on snow routes.

You can find a live map from Public Works here, showing which roads have been treated and where crews are currently working.

Jefferson City Public Works is also monitoring their roads. Britt Smith told ABC 17 News their crews are resting this morning while the supervisors monitor the roads and will determine when to call in the crews based on the road conditions. Smith said their roads are mostly clear but that doesn’t mean there can’t be an ice patch somewhere.