The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold its annual winter operations drill today and Thursday.
The drill has been expanded to two days this year to accommodate social distancing requirements due to COVID-19, according to a MoDOT news release.
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 begin after 9 a.m. The exercise should be completed by 3 p.m.
"We've scheduled this year's drill a little earlier to make sure we all know our roles during a winter storm so we can do our jobs successfully," state Maintenance Director Natalie Roark said in the news release.
Roark said more than 3,000 MoDOT employees are involved in clearing roads and bridges when winter weather hits. 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. Emergency communications systems will also be tested.
In addition, every piece of equipment - trucks, motor graders, snow blowers and tractors - is inspected and calibrated to conserve materials.
Roark said one of the most valuable parts of the drill is it allows MoDOT's newest employees the opportunity to drive a snowplow over their designated routes so they are aware of obstacles and obstructions, such as curbs and raised islands, that might be hidden in snow or ice.
MoDOT officials said last year they spent more than $66 million on winter operations and used more than 180,000 tons of salt; 3 million gallons of salt brine; 80,000 tons of abrasives; 350 tons of calcium chloride; 24,000 gallons of liquid calcium chloride; 90,000 gallons of liquid magnesium chloride; and almost 500,000 gallons of beet juice.
In an average winter, MoDOT employees will plow about 6 million miles of snow and ice.
For information on road conditions across the state, safe traveling tips, and other winter weather information, visit modot.org.