Columbia snowplow crews will start at 5 a.m. Saturday
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A 17-member City of Columbia Public Works snowplow crew will report for duty at 5 a.m. Saturday, a Friday press release from the city says.
The ABC 17 News Stormtrack Weather Team declared Saturday as a Weather Alert Day for the first potential snowfall of the season. Up to 3 inches of snowfall is possible near Interstate 70, according to the Stormtrack Weather Team.
Snow is expected to begin arriving in the area from 5-6 a.m. Earlier this month, a city spokesman said staffing levels this year are improved from last year.
“Crews will initially focus on pretreating priority routes to help reduce slickness and improve traction. Once snow begins to accumulate, efforts will shift to plowing and treating priority routes to maintain safer travel conditions,” the release from the city says.
First priority routes include “Major residential and arterial streets for public safety needs,” and includes roads like Broadway, Green Meadows Road and Vandiver Drive, according to the city’s website.
Second priority routes include “heavily traveled collector and residential streets for Public Safety and City/school bus routes as well as streets connecting to schools, hospitals and other critical areas,” the city’s website says. Some roads in this tier include Fairview Road, Derby Ridge Drive and Parkade, the website says.
A full list of first and second priority routes can be found on the city’s website. Third priority routes can be found there, as well. Priority areas include Downtown and other neighborhoods.
A number of major roads in Columbia – including Stadium Boulevard, Highway 63, Interstate 70 and others -- are maintained by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
