KDOT snow removal crews fully staffed, ready to clear Johnson, Wyandotte County highways
As the Kansas City metro area braces for another major winter storm, the Kansas Department of Transportation says its fleet of snow plows is prepared to clear highways on the Kansas side of the border in a timely manner.
Between 4 and 8 inches of powdery snow is expected across much of the Kansas City forecast area, and a winter storm warning will be in effect from midnight Tuesday to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Freezing rain is also possible, according to the National Weather Service.
KDOT crews have spent the last two days pre-treating roads with salt brine and magnesium chloride in anticipation of slick conditions, said Delaney Tholen, the agency’s Kansas City metro spokesperson.
“KDOT is adequately staffed and has routes in the northeast district covered for all shifts through Thursday and then crews on standby as needed, with a combination of full-time and seasonal staff,” Tholen said.
During major storms, KDOT takes an all-hands-on-deck approach, enlisting anyone on staff who’s licensed to drive a snowplow for 12-hour shifts until roads are clear. That includes about 700 traditional equipment operators along with roughly 300 seasonal workers, supervisors, superintendents and engineering technicians.
Tholen said last month’s blizzard was a valuable learning experience for newer snow plow drivers.
“During the last storm, KDOT had several equipment operators in the metro who had minimal experience driving a snowplow during a snow and ice weather event. After working through one of the worst storms the KC area has seen in years, and the ongoing cleanup, these operators have quickly grown their snow removal skills,” Tholen said.
After years of warning that staffing shortages could delay snow removal efforts, KDOT officials now say the agency is fully staffed.
Similarly, representatives for the cities of Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee and Lenexa told The Star last month that their snow removal crews are operating at 100% capacity this winter after several post-COVID years of shortages.
The National Weather Service says snow and ice are expected to create hazardous conditions on roadways and impact Wednesday morning and evening commutes.
For now, KDOT isn’t making any promises about how long it will take to clear the roads.
“Upcoming road conditions and snow removal depend on pending weather events, and amounts of snow are currently unknown,” Tholen said.
Drivers are encouraged to check KanDrive.gov for updates on highway conditions before traveling.
