Icy, snow-packed roads remain around the KC area. What to know about travel conditions
People thinking of heading out for their commute or quick trips need to be vigilant and watch for slick spots as many roads in the Kansas City area remain snow-packed.
“While major highways might be OK, many state highways and roads are still completely snow covered,” the National Weather Service said. “Continue to use caution as you head out this morning.”
The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City District urged drivers to stay alert.
“Even as snow melts, slick spots remain in temps this cold and chances for refreezing increase,” transportation officials said. “If you have to be out, adjust your driving accordingly by taking it slow, staying alert, and buckling up.”
Transportation officials advised drivers to watch for snow on the roads, particularly on the highway ramps and low-traffic areas.
Highway speeds varied across the metro, according to Kansas City Scout’s traffic map. Speeds along most of the highways headed into and out of downtown were above 45 mph.
Meanwhile, speeds were less than 45 mph along Missouri 152 across Kansas City’s Northland, the highways in downtown Kansas City and along Interstate 435 across the southern part of the metro area. There were also numerous reports of stalled vehicles across the metro.
Wet roads refreeze, making them icy
Shortly after midnight, the Missouri Highway Patrol’s Troop A, which includes the Kansas City area, advised on X, formerly Twitter, that as the temperatures dropped, the wet roads iced back over making them slick.
“While roadways might appear to be clear, ice is not always clearly visible,” the highway patrol warned. It encouraged drivers to slow down, allow plenty of following distances and to move over for emergency vehicles.
Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté urged people to drive according to weather and road conditions to avoid “interactions with emergency service providers.”
“Don’t be lulled into a false sense of safety,” Forté said on X. “Many icy patches remain.”
Kansas City Streetcar, other transit services hours
The Kansas City Streetcar said it was running its regular Tuesday hours of 6 a.m. to midnight with service frequencies of 10 to 12 minutes. It encouraged riders to use caution when boarding and exiting the streetcar.
Johnson County Transit said it planned to operate regular service, but icy roads and staffing challenges could lead to service delays. It was not offering service on the K10 connector with the Johnson County Community College and University of Kansas campuses remaining closed.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM.
