THURSDAY WINTER STORM UPDATES: Highway Patrol reports over 200 calls for service
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F is reporting 227 calls for service during the second round of snow.
Troopers helped 165 stranded motorists and responded to 29 non-injury crashes.
Officials report one injury crash as of 8:53 p.m.
Columbia Public Works expects residential streets to be passable by Friday evening
Columbia Public Works has a 70-person snow response crew on duty that are using dump trucks to haul snow out of the downtown Columbia area, and plow crews are continuing to plow and treat residential neighborhoods.
Public Works management expects that all residential streets will be plowed to a passable state by Friday evening, but staff will have a better understanding of the time frame after reviewing the progress of the overnight plow crew.
Drivers asked to avoid Interstate 70 in Montgomery County
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging drivers to avoid Interstate 70 in Montgomery County because of multiple crashes at the 170-mile marker.
The patrol earlier reported that a multi-vehicle crash at that location had closed both eastbound lanes. The patrol posted a photo on Twitter later that showed multiple tractor-trailers crashed or off the road. Patrol Cpl. Kyle Green said the crashes referenced were in addition to crashes reported earlier in the day.
The tweet asked drivers to avoid that area because troopers were investigating several crashes.
The Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map reported I-70 was snow-covered in that area. Roads throughout Central Missouri remain covered or partially covered in snow.
Patrol reports no injuries in local crashes; Jefferson City provides clearing update
No one has been injured in crashes Thursday on state highways across Central Missouri, the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Troop F said.
The patrol posted on Twitter shortly after 3 p.m. that troopers had been sent to 166 calls, helping 127 stranded drivers and working at 20 crash scenes. Roads around the area remained snow-covered as of about 3:30 p.m., according to the Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map.
Jefferson City's Public Works Department said Thursday that residents should expect snow-packed streets overnight as low temperatures limit the effectiveness of road treatments. Crews will start hauling snow away from downtown at 6:30 a.m. Friday, the department said in a release.
Some streets will be closed during the clearing, which will last until noon. Free parking will be open at the Madison Street garage, the city said.
Jefferson City's traffic map shows all roads covered or partly covered with snow Thursday. More than 8 inches of snow was reported in downtown Jefferson City since the beginning of the storm earlier this week.
City of Columbia to start hauling away downtown snow
Columbia Public Works planned to use 25 dump trucks Thursday to haul snow away from downtown.
The agency detailed the snow-hauling plan in a tweet Thursday afternoon. It wasn't clear where the snow will be taken.
Crews had made priority streets passable and were moving on to residential streets Thursday, Public Works said.
Snow has ended in Columbia but bitter cold is settling in behind it, with lows in the single digits expected the next two nights.
Winter storm warning remains in effect for some areas; crash blocks I-70 in Mongtomery County
The National Weather Service is keeping part of Mid-Missouri in a winter storm warning until 6 p.m. Thursday.
Snow had largely cleared from much of the area by noon but said another inch of accumulation could fall in an area that includes Miller, Camden, Pulaski and Phelps counties. The weather service has received reports of about 6 inches near Eldon, 8.5 inches near Jefferson City and nearly 10 inches in Columbia since the storm began late Tuesday.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said a little before 12:30 p.m. that both lanes of Interstate 70 eastbound at mile marker 170 in Callaway County had been blocked after a multi-vehicle crash.
Cpl. Kyle Green with the patrol said three tractor-trailers were involved.
Cooper County says drifts, abandoned vehicles causing problems clearing roads
The Cooper County Office of Emergency Management says plow crews are having problems clearing roads because of drifts and abandoned vehicles.
"Plows have opened roads only to find them drifted closed within a few hours," the office said on Facebook. "Another problem they are encountering are stuck or abandon vehicles left in the roadways making it impossible for plows or emergency services to get around them. Please make every attempt to move your vehicles from county roadways."
The agency asked drivers to avoid gravel roads and yield to snowplows.
The Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map showed roads around Mid-Missouri remained snow-covered Thursday morning, including in Cooper County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Thursday morning that troopers had been sent to more than 2,000 calls including 460 crashes statewide since early Wednesday.
Patrol sent to nearly 60 calls so far; Columbia crews move to residential streets
Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were sent to 58 calls between midnight and 8 a.m. Thursday in Mid-Missouri.
The patrol's Troop F tweeted its Thursday totals, saying troopers had not responded to any injury crashes since midnight and only five crashes total. Troopers helped 46 stranded drivers.
Troop F troopers were sent to more than 300 calls for service on the first day of the storm Wednesday.
The Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map showed roads throughout Mid-Missouri were covered in snow just before 9. The Columbia Public Works Department was beginning to plow residential streets after making priority routes drivable, the city said.
Track Columbia road conditions at this link.
Mexico police said officers have gone to 14 vehicle slide-offs, crashes and stranded drivers since 8 a.m. Wednesday, with no injuries.
Snow totals reported to the National Weather Service include more than 9 inches south of Columbia and 6 inches in Jefferson City. Moberly saw 11 inches.
The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team expects snow to continue to taper off and end Thursday. A winter storm warning remains in effect until noon.
Plow crews in Columbia focus on priority routes
Crews in Columbia are working to plow and treat priority roads.
According to the Columbia Public Works Department, a 51-person plow team started to work at 7 a.m. Crews hope to keep priority roads across Columbia passable for front-wheel drive vehicles. Workers plan to switch to residential roads once priority routes are treated.
Columbia is also getting help from workers in other departments, including from Parks and Recreation, Sewer, and Water & Light.
The city is enforcing its no parking policy on snow routes. Drivers can face a possible fine of $100 plus towing and storage fees.
Motorists are also encouraged to avoid parking on roadways in order to allow plow drivers the ability to do their jobs quickly, efficiently and safely for everyone. As a reminder, parking on snow routes is currently prohibited. pic.twitter.com/8HiQOu3F4F
— Columbia Public Works (@pub_works) February 3, 2022
Columbia enforces no parking on snow routes after the city receives two or more inches of snow.
Crews working to make roads around Jefferson City passable
Jefferson City crews are working to make local roads passable on Thursday morning.
According to the Jefferson City Public Works Department, a 24-person team and support staff reported in for work at 4 a.m. after an overnight crew focused on priority routes.
Operations Division Director Britt Smith said workers are also focusing snow removal efforts on city-maintained sidewalks and parking lots. Crews are also working to clear the runways at Jefferson City Memorial Airport.
The public works department hopes to make roads around Jefferson City passable throughout the day Thursday.
Troopers help at least a dozen stranded drivers in Mid-Missouri since midnight
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has responded to nearly 20 calls for service in Mid-Missouri since midnight.
Troop F, which covers parts of Mid-Missouri, said troopers helped at least a dozen stranded drivers. Troopers didn't respond to any injury or non-injury crashes since midnight.
Weather related traffic totals since midnight (2/3/22) for Troop F:
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) February 3, 2022
❄️Calls for service 18
❄️Stranded motorist 12
❄️Non-injury crashes 0
❄️Injury crashes 0
❄️Fatal crashes 0 pic.twitter.com/7r51lquh7N
The highway patrol did warn drivers of poor road conditions on parts of Highway 50 in Jefferson City.
As of 6:10 a.m., this is US 50 in Jefferson City. Please stay off the roadways unless absolutely necessary.
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) February 3, 2022
Stay home, stay warm, stay safe. pic.twitter.com/kNZofmFc9S
Troopers asked drivers to avoid traveling on Thursday if possible.
MoDOT continues to report snow-covered roads across Mid-Missouri
The Missouri Department of Transportation continues to report poor road conditions on Thursday morning.
According to MoDOT's Traveler Information Map, highways and interstates in Mid-Missouri are still snow-covered. A spokesman said all available crews continue to work 12-hour shifts. MoDOT expects to target the interstates and high-priority routes first.
The MoDOT spokesman said smaller roads may not get plowed and treated for a few days.
❄️🚗 5:00 AM WINTER WEATHER ROAD CONDITION UPDATE 2/3/22 ❄️🚗
— MoDOT Central District (@MoDOT_Central) February 3, 2022
Conditions remain hazardous and everyone is advised to continue avoiding travel if at all possible. Roads across the district are still covered with more snow expected through the morning. #MidMoWx #BUPD pic.twitter.com/7vIOoROHmB
MoDOT has asked drivers to avoid traveling if possible.
Cole County crews working to plow and treat all roads
Plow crews continue to work towards clearing snow-covered roads across Cole County on Thursday morning.
According to Cole County Public Works, its dayshift crew reported in at 4 a.m. after a six-person night crew plowed and treated priority roads.
Roads and Parks Superintendent Bryan Boyce said the dayshift crew will start to focus on all roads in Cole County with the snow starting to move out of Mid-Missouri.
Crews are expected to be out plowing and treating the roads all day Thursday and into Friday morning.
I-70 back open in Columbia, conditions look better further west
Shortly before midnight Thursday, Boone County Joint Communications reported that Interstate 70 was closed from St. Charles Road to the Highway 63 connecter to remove a semi-truck from the median.
ABC 17 News confirmed the interstate was back open shortly before 2 a.m.
Earlier Wednesday, law enforcement had to shut down the same area of the interstate due to drivers being unable to pass over hills.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, the Missouri Department of Transportation Traveler Map showed I-70 in better conditions further west. In Saline County, the interstate was reported as just partly covered.
Road Conditions Key:
- Red - Closed
- Purple - Covered
- Blue - Partly Covered
- Light Blue - Mostly Clear
- Green - Clear
