MoDOT to hold winter weather drill Thursday

Wintry weather will be here before you know it and MoDOT is getting ready!

They are holding their annual snow drill Thursday, October 16, to prepare for ice and snow storms, with full deployment of plows and spreaders on clear roads for operator route familiarization.

District Maintenance Engineer Jimmy Shannon says this will help give their crews the tools they need to be equipped when old man winter shows up.

He says staffing is improved compared to last year but not yet at full capacity, indicating a better operational stance but some remaining gap.

Shannon would like you to give their drivers some extra room especially as they will operate below speed limits on clear roads for practice.

MoDOT spent more than $64 million on winter operations last year and used 160,000 tons of salt, 2.1 million gallons of salt brine and 229,000 gallons of beet juice.