JEFFERSON CITY – Snow is not in the local forecast yet, but the Missouri Department of Transportation wants to be ready when winter weather is here. To prepare, MoDOT will test its readiness for the upcoming winter season with a statewide drill on November. 5th.
The drill tests MoDOT’s winter battle plan to ensure its readiness to get travelers back on Missouri roadways as quickly as possible after winter storms.
During the drill, MoDOT employees will react to a simulated forecast of significant snow for the entire state. The department’s emergency operations centers will activate and maintenance employees will be deployed to their trucks.
Motorists may notice increased numbers of MoDOT vehicles on state routes during the drill. In rural areas, crews will deploy after 8 a.m. In urban areas, the drill will not begin until after 9 a.m. Wright estimates that the exercise will take about six hours.
The drill isn’t the only element to MoDOT’s winter weather operations. All maintenance employees complete an annual winter skills training that serves as a refresher course for plowing snow. The training assures that proper equipment operation, plowing techniques and safety measures are fresh on employees’ minds as winter approaches. Every piece of equipment – every truck, motor grader, snow blower, and tractor – is inspected to ensure proper operation.
The Missouri Department of Transportation annually spends about $46 million to keep roads clear in the winter and help ensure motorists get to their destinations safely and quickly.
MoDot Employees To Have a Simulated Readiness Test
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