Travel is still dangerous in KC as crews work to clear snow and ice from roads
Treacherous road conditions continue to make travel difficult to impossible in much of the Kansas City metro Monday morning, according to authorities and law enforcement.
Crews are working to clear snow and ice from roads after blizzard conditions Sunday brought 8-12 inches of snow in various parts of the metro, according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City.
“Snow is still moving out, but conditions won’t improve quickly,” the Missouri Department of Transportation said on X. “If you saw snow (or) ice yesterday, avoid travel today. Crews are working hard, but cleanup will take time in these conditions.”
Those who must travel for emergencies are likely to encounter wind gusts blowing snow on the road, which will continue to limit visibility, MoDOT said in a press release.
With bitterly cold temperatures in the forecast, heavy snowfall amounts, frozen precipitation on the roads, and cloud cover Monday, it will take crews longer to clear roads, MoDOT said.
“Motorists in the areas of snow and ice accumulation cannot let their guards down once this precipitation ends,” said MoDOT Chief Safety and Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth, in a statement. “It’s going to take our crews most of Monday to get major routes in these impacted areas back to good condition, so we need people to continue to avoid traveling.”
A MoDOT map providing periodically updated road conditions shows most major highways still covered as of 8 a.m.
Road conditions are just as poor in Kansas.
Kansas residents received an emergency alert shortly after 6 a.m. Monday advising against travel, as many state and federal highways remain closed due to dangerous conditions.
KanDrive maps show snow-covered roads in the Kansas City metro, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 635. Portions of Interstate 70 show mixed snow, ice, and slush.
Hundreds of motorists stranded on snowy roads
Roads covered in snow have led to hundreds of stranded motorists since Saturday, said Cpl. Justin Ewing, a spokesman for Troop A of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
From 2 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Monday, Troop A had 727 calls for service. Of those calls, there were 478 stranded motorists and 160 crashes. The crashes included 6 injuries and 1 fatality.
“We are continuing to have motorists stuck both on major roadways and secondary roadways,” Ewing said in an email. “Call volume is lower, but still active.”
Ewing said if travel is unavoidable, take it extremely slow. Drivers should keep a good following distance, he said, and make sure their tank is full. Drivers should be sure to have emergency supplies in your vehicle in case of extended travel blockages or getting stranded.
‘Stay home, and stay safe’
In a Facebook post Sunday evening, the Olathe Police Department urged residents to stay home.
“Officers are responding to calls and accidents, but even some of our vehicles have gotten stuck,” the department said in the post. “Due to the hazardous conditions, officers may not be able to respond to non emergency incidents where vehicles are stuck on neighborhood side streets. Stay home, and stay safe,” the department said.
Ewing said Missouri drivers should be aware that *55 is the emergency line for the highway patrol. This line is for emergencies only, he said, not for tow requests. Owners are responsible for having their vehicles removed when companies are able to.
This story was originally published January 6, 2025 at 8:28 AM.
