Cole County road crews expect slick roads for Monday morning commute

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

After less than an inch of snow preceded multiple crashes in the Jefferson City area, road crews are expecting below-freezing temperatures to cause more headaches for drivers on Tuesday.

Larry Benz, the director of Cole County Public Works, said, “What people need to realize that the roads are going to be this same condition in the morning just due to low temperatures (Monday night)."

Cole County Sheriff's deputies and Jefferson City police officers responded to more than two dozen crashes and almost 20 slide-offs combined.

Benz told ABC 17 News that highways and major roads will be clearer than side streets. He added that everyone should be cautious Tuesday morning as roads may be deceiving.

"There’s a glaze of ice underneath it so it’s catching a lot of people in a bad place," Benz said. "It’s those side roads that are going to uh give everyone a fit in the morning."

Road crews across the county have been dispersing pretreatments and other materials to not only attempt to thaw any ice but also to add traction to the road.

Several cars slid off the road on Rt. B, south of St. Thomas, according to Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler. The area is regularly a problem for cars and large trucks when winter conditions set in.

Wheeler said drivers are advised to avoid that area of Rt. B until the bitterly cold weather moves out.

For the latest forecast, click here.