MoDOT to hold statewide winter weather drill Thursday

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold its annual statewide winter operations drill on Thursday.

MoDOT vehicles will be on on state routes and highways during the drill. In rural areas, crews will deploy after 8 a.m. In urban areas, the drill will not begin until after 9 a.m. The exercise should be completed by 3 p.m., according to a press release

MoDOT employees will react to a simulated forecast of significant snow for the entire state. The department’s emergency operations centers will be activated and trucks will be deployed. Emergency communications systems will also be tested.

Officials said it’s facing a driver shortage and that its staff is 30% below where it needs to be to take care of a statewide storm, according to the press release.

MoDOT spent more than $53 million on winter operations last year and used more than 151,000 tons of salt; 2.4 million gallons of salt brine; and 454,000 gallons of beet juice.