Wyandotte County warns snow crew short-staffed for storm, plowing could be slow
As the Kansas City metro prepares for a winter storm expected to bring in up to six inches of snow and bitter cold temperatures, public works staff across the region are prepping to spend their weekends clearing neighborhoods and major roadways.
In Wyandotte County, it doesn’t appear that snow preparations and plowing will move smoother than during similar storms last year, and public works staff are asking residents to be patient with them.
Last January, staffing and equipment limitations made it difficult for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, to address a heavy, two-day snowfall that left residents stuck in their homes.
At the time, the Unified Government had 64 trucks overall and at least 24 constantly on the streets, Public Works Director David Reno said last year. The fleet, which included a team of 57 people, had to plow 2,400 lane miles across Wyandotte County. The department had 10 vacant positions at the time. And at one point, the Unified Government suspended overnight plowing due to cold and icy conditions.
This time around, the department still doesn’t have as many staff members as neighboring communities to address severe weather conditions. And government staff have said they may not be able to plow neighborhoods until Sunday.
During this weekend’s storm, the Unified Government will have about 25 operators per shift addressing snowy roads, a staff of 31 regular snow operation staff, and eight supervisors who will also pitch in to help, according to a news release from public works staff. Neighboring Overland Park, meanwhile, has 65 operators covering a similarly sized area.
“With fewer crews covering a large street network, plowing operations in Kansas City, Kansas, will take more time, particularly during extended storms like this one,” according to the Unified Government.
This year, the Unified Government had budgeted for 45 positions for street maintenance, but it has about 39 people working on the roads, meaning it’s six people short of what the department had planned to have to address road conditions, Reno said. But really, they would need 60 people to adequately take care of all of Wyandotte’s roads.
“Filling these six additional positions would absolutely help, but doing so would still fall short of the need,” he said.
The winter storm making its way to the area this weekend will bring “accumulating snow and dangerously cold temperatures,” to KCK, according to the news release. Residents can expect bitter cold and slick roads through Monday.
And with temperatures falling into the single digits before windchill, roads will likely get particularly slick around the area. Even if snowfall is lighter, the cold will “significantly reduce the effectiveness of salt” used to keep roads safe, according to the Unified Government.
Crews on Wednesday began to lay down a brine solution on major roads, like State Avenue, Parallel Parkway, and roads that get people to public safety services, with the hope it will keep ice from bonding to the pavement early on during the storm. Secondary roads, like those that connect neighborhoods to major streets, will also have the brine treatment by Friday. Neighborhoods will be addressed last.
However, that brine will become less effective the more temperatures drop, according to the Unified Government.
“Residents are strongly encouraged to stay indoors and avoid travel during periods of extreme cold. Wind chills this low can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” according to the Unified Government. “Those who must travel should allow extra time, slow down, and give plow trucks plenty of space to work safely.”
The snow crew will begin plowing as soon as snow starts falling, and it’s likely staff will have to re-plow areas as snow blankets them again or blows into the streets. If crews are able to get traction on those major streets and conditions permit, “crews may begin addressing neighborhood routes on Sunday,” given they take significantly longer to clear during storms that last multiple days.
Given nearly 70% of operators have one year or less of plowing experience and training, the Unified Government asks that residents be patient with snowplow operators and give them space as they work, such as by remaining off local streets if do-able and avoiding street parking.
