Columbia snowplow crews and residents prepare for winter weather
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.
Columbia residents are also preparing for Saturday's snowfall. Jeff Kendall, who is the general manager at Westlake Ace Hardware on Business Loop 70, said many people took time out of their Black Friday shopping to grab a few items.
"They're buying some ice melt in case we do get that frigid cold because they know the snow is just going to get packed down and not go anywhere, they are purchasing, you know, your general ice scrapers," Kendall said.
Even with many getting the standard essentials, Kendall said there's other items residents can purchase to further prevent weather damage from the cold.
"If you have exposed pipe, just make sure they're wrapped or covered. If you have crawl spaces that can get cold air, make sure you run a space heater or something underneath or have it wrapped," Kendall said.
Along with staying weather aware and prepared, keeping your pets in mind is also important when it comes to some of the supplies you use.
"You want to stay away from your straight sodium chloride, You want to go with more of a blend because that is going to be a lot more pet-safe," Kendall said.
The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Alert Day Warning is scheduled to end Saturday afternoon.
