With a winter storm poised to sweep through, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has made a tactical decision to not pre-treat the roads, asking drivers to avoid travel if possible tomorrow. As reported by KSDK, due to expected cold temperatures and the nature of the snowfall described as light and fluffy, MoDOT's crews, starting work at 7 p.m. yesterday, are hopeful that this approach will prevent the formation of ice, which Bob Becker, District Maintenance Engineer, believes could happen if melted snow dilutes the pre-treatment chemicals too quickly.
Becker explained during a press conference yesterday that, "if we put a chemical down and snow hits the roadway, it’ll melt and it’ll dilute it right away and it’ll turn to ice right away," thereby possibly worsening the road conditions, crews instead plan to treat the roads once a certain buildup has occurred although they are prepared to plow around the clock and focus on highway ramps, which presented issues during the previous major storm. According to KSDK, this is part of an effort to improve from past experiences and provide sufficient preparation for the less-experienced plow crews.
Similar to MoDOT, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) communicated their decision not to pre-treat the roads, relying instead on the residuals from previous treatments. Joe Monroe, IDOT District 8 engineer, expressed pragmatism over aggression in dealing with the situation, stating, "We don’t want to make the situation worse out of pride," in an interview cited by The St. Louis American. As forecasts evolve, IDOT is prepared for changes and anticipates that their southern district will likely experience the brunt of the storm's effects.
Even as the storm proceeds, both MoDOT and IDOT remain vigilant, with plows dispatched across major roads. MODOT engineer Bob Becker shared with FOX2now that the current cold is expected to prevent initial snow accumulation and that crews are adjusting strategies actively as conditions evolve, emphasizing that drivers should remain cautious and drive slowly on snow-covered lanes to prevent accidents. Thus, with 12-hour shifts in play until the storm abates commuter safety during Tuesday's travels remains a shared concern of both departments.
