Road crews prepare for winter weather Saturday night

Winter weather will work its way through mid-Missouri again Saturday night into Sunday morning. The system should move in after 6 p.m., bringing snow and possibly freezing drizzle.

Crews around mid-Missouri are preparing for the wintry mix.

Barry Dalton, from Columbia Public Works, said a full crew will report to work at 7 p.m. Saturday to continue treating the roads. Crews with Columbia Public Works began working on neighborhood streets around 1 p.m. because there was more than 4 inches of snow.

Dalton said crews hope to finish clearing neighborhood streets, but they may have to go back to working on priority routes depending on the weather.

He said rain could wash away the mix crews used to treat the roads, which could cause problems.

He said drivers should be extra careful when driving on any road because they are not completely cleared.

Larry Benz, with Cole County Public Works, said crews have trucks ready to be loaded for when the snow or drizzle starts to fall. He also said a normal size crew will be working on the roads and laying a salt mix.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is warning drivers to limit their travel. It is also warning drivers to go slow, brake and accelerate gently and not to pass snow plows.

According to the MoDOT traveler’s map, many roads in the area are expected to be clear before the second the system works its way into the area.