Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS
01/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2025 10:38
Winter Weather Update: Progress Made on Neighborhood Routes
Winter Weather Update: Progress Made on Neighborhood Routes
Published on January 07, 2025
An intense Arctic airmass remains in place across the region, keeping temperatures bitterly cold. Today, Wind chills range from -5°F to 5°F, and pavement temperatures remain below freezing. These conditions are expected to persist into Thursday morning before temperatures begin to rebound later in the week, reaching the lower 30s by Friday.
A front moving through the area could bring a light dusting of snow late Thursday night into early Friday morning. While accumulation is expected to be minimal, drivers should remain cautious as slick conditions could develop, even on previously treated surfaces.
Significant progress has been made in clearing Neighborhood Routes, with over 85% of residential neighborhoods already receiving two plowing passes. Crews remain fully deployed and are actively working today to open additional streets and improve road conditions for residents.
Clearing Neighborhood Routes typically takes up to 48 hours after plowing on Hot and Secondary Routes is complete, depending on conditions. KCK has 131 Neighborhood Routes.
The operational plan includes a full crew working 12-hour shifts from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, focusing on Neighborhood Routes. A smaller night crew will work overnight to clean up Hot and Secondary Routes and address snow drifts. This shift structure will remain in place until the work is complete or conditions change.
Frigid temperatures continue to pose challenges for snow and ice removal. When temperatures drop below 15°F, salt becomes significantly less effective at melting ice and snow.
"Clearing neighborhood streets is critical to ensuring safe and accessible roadways for all residents," said Dewayne Smith, Public Works' Street Maintenance Manager. "We're proud of the progress our crews have made, and we'll continue working hard until the job is done. We appreciate the patience and support from our community."
Please remember to:
- Avoid parking on streets, when possible, to allow plows to operate efficiently.
- Slow down and drive cautiously, as icy patches may persist in some areas.
- Shovel snow to the right side of your driveway (as you face the street) to reduce the chances of plows re-blocking access.
- Prevent children from playing in large snow drifts near or in the street.
Looking Ahead
As the Arctic airmass begins to lift later this week, temperatures are expected to gradually warm, reaching the lower 30s by Friday. A light dusting of snow may occur early Friday morning, but no significant accumulation is expected in the area.
For more information on winter weather operations, answers to frequently asked questions, and details about Public Works' Snow & Ice Removal policy, visit wycokck.org/Snow. To report a service issue, dial 3-1-1. While the Snow Crew is hard at work, check out these frequently asked questions:
The Goal is to Return Traction to Streets
The purpose of winter weather operations isn't to clean and clear streets. The goal is to restore traction to streets so that motorists can be as safe as possible. Restoring traction to streets can be a tricky business, but there are generally four ways traction can be restored to streets during winter weather:
- Restoring traction by plowing
- Restoring traction by using salt
- Restoring traction by using sand
- Restoring traction by using a combination of plowing, salting, and sanding
When temperatures fall below 15-degrees Fahrenheit, the salt melts ice and snow more slowly. The colder it is outside, the longer it takes salt to do its work, which impacts winter weather operations. During some storms, traction can be restored by moving snow away from roads with plows, and in other storms, traction can be restored by using only a salt treatment. In other cases, plowing a street may reduce traction - especially in neighborhoods.
When snow becomes tightly packed, ice forms underneath. In these instances, drivers may not plow because removing the top layer of snowpack would leave a solid sheet of ice that salt treatment cannot melt quickly or efficiently. Although it seems counterintuitive, a small amount of snowpack can increase traction and keep motorists safer than they may otherwise be.
How Much Salt Melts 1 lb of Ice?
Salt is one of the many tools the Snow Crew uses to return traction to streets. Unfortunately, it becomes less effective the colder it is outside.
As temperatures decline below 15-degrees Fahrenheit, salt treatment works more slowly. The following chart illustrates how much ice one pound of salt can melt, depending on the temperature:
When temperatures are extremely low, you may not see much melting, but that doesn't mean the salt isn't there. Remember to be patient and slow down if you're out.
Avoid Parking on the Street
Don't park in the street whenever possible. It is dangerous and difficult to plow streets congested with parked vehicles. Some streets may not be plowed if plows cannot safely maneuver them.
The most helpful thing residents can do to facilitate snow removal is to get their cars off the street and encourage others to do the same. Residents with no other option other than on-street parking should park as close to the curb as possible.
Help Keep Snow Out of Your Driveway
One of the most frequent concerns in the removal of snow from public streets is snow being pushed back into driveways during plowing operations. As plows travel along streets, the snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go but on the adjacent streets and in driveways. The more snow that has fallen, the greater the problem will be.
- Residents can reduce the likelihood of snow blocking their driveway by shoveling snow to the right while facing the street. Doing this will help snowplow drivers avoid carrying piles from the "upstream" side back across driveways.
- In addition, shoving or blowing snow/ice into streets may cause hazardous conditions to other drivers. Residents and property owners are encouraged to follow the directions above in both commercial and residential areas.
More Winter Weather Tips
For more tips, view or download Public Works' Helpful Tips for the Winter Season PDF.
Trash & Recycling Updates
Snow & Ice Removal Policy
Learn More About Snow Operations
Explore Street Maintenance
Explore Public Works
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