KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffCrews pre-treat roads to prepare for more winter weather

Crews pre-treat roads to prepare for more winter weather

By Christy Hendricks - bio | email

(KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Transportation warns drivers to be careful as another round of winter weather hits the Heartland.

MoDOT uses a priority system of routes to clear the roads.  

• Priority 1: Highest traffic-volume roadways are cleared first, including interstates and other major routes. These roads receive continuous treatment throughout a storm.
• Priority 2: Lower-volume, lettered or numbered routes are opened to two-way traffic and treated with salt at critical areas such as intersections, hills and curves.
• After the storm during regular work hours, workers clean up accumulation on shoulders, bridge edges and interchanges.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews are out pre-treating area highways Monday. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all of western Kentucky.

Some "B" and "C" routes were treated on Sunday.  Highway crews will continue treating roads until about 7 p.m. Monday, then switch to spreading salt and plowing as snow starts to accumulate.

MoDot offers these basic travel tips to keep in mind:

• Buckle up.
• Drive slower than normal.
• Avoid hard braking and sudden turns to keep from sliding out of control.
• Make sure vehicle windows are cleared to ensure visibility.
• Use headlights.
• Increase following distance.
• Keep at least 100 feet behind a truck plowing or salting the road.
• Keep plenty of fuel in the tank and carry an emergency kit.
• Let someone know where you're headed.

Check our road conditions page for travel information from all our Heartland states.

Several viewers have submitted snow pictures into cNews.  Watch the slideshow from the most recent snow.

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