Extreme cold delays public works departments from treating roads
Jefferson City and Cole County public works departments delayed laying down salt and other pretreatments Wednesday, despite a significant amount of snow covering roads in the area.
Their concern is that any snow melted by the chemicals would immediately refreeze and make roads more slick.
Cole County Public Works Department Director Larry Benz said crews are pushing snow where they can but, overall, the bitter cold is impeding their ability to work on the roads.
Britt Smith, with the Jefferson City Public Works, said crews started spreading salt and liquid calcium around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, after the snow stopped falling.
Benz and Smith said they are waiting for the temperatures to rise, or for the sun to come out before they begin using chemicals as usual.
