KC area road conditions improve, but icy bridges & exit ramps remain
The Missouri Department of Transportation says several routes are still impacted Tuesday after a winter storm blanketed roads with snow.
Early snowfall amounts from the National Weather Service predict the metro saw anywhere between 1 to 5 inches of snow fall Monday. Crews in Kansas City spent the overnight hours working to clear city streets while services like trash pickup remain delayed.
Inclement weather and impacted travel routes has led to a number of school closures, delayed starts and suspended government services Tuesday.
As of 9 a.m., an online traveler information map showed major highways with varying amounts of snow coverage. Some roads are mostly covered, while others are partially clear and mostly clear in the Kansas City metro, according to MoDOT Kansas City.
“If you have to be out this morning, please use caution, adjust your driving to the conditions, take it slow, give crews room to work, and have an alternative route in mind,” MoDOT said in a Facebook post.
On the Kansas side of the metro, KanDrive maps show icy spots, wet pavement and treated pavement on major roads, including Interstate 35, K-10, Interstate 435 and U.S. 69 Highway.
In Olathe, crews worked through the night and early morning hours to continue their snowplow operations, and by midday the city said that more than 80% of Olathe city steets had been plowed and retreated.
Brace for icy bridges, exit ramps
Throughout the early morning Tuesday, there were multiple crashes reported on major highways, including on northbound and southbound I-435, and northbound Interstate 49 near Grandview, KC Scout cameras show.
Roads may be slick in some areas even after treatment. Roads will benefit from a sunny, slightly warmer day Tuesday with little to no precipitation forecast in the Kansas City metro.
While slightly warmer, conditions will still remain chilly. The high temperature Tuesday is expected to be near 33 degrees.
Major roads are clearer Tuesday than they were Monday, according to Cpl. Justin Ewing, a spokesman for Troop A of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
However, side roads and secondary roads are still partially or fully covered, Ewing said.
“Our call volume is much lower today, but we are still seeing some icy spots on bridges and exit ramps, especially,” Ewing said in an email. “We would continue to caution people to take it slow, give yourself extra time to get where you’re going and drive focused and not distracted.”
