Columbia braces for first snowfall Saturday | News

COLUMBIA — Columbia Public Works is preparing for the first snowfall of the season Saturday, with 17 members of their crew set to be deployed at smooth conditions.

Missouri State Highway Patrol public information officer Kyle Green said the snow could cause problems for roads and traffic Saturday morning.

“Based on the current forecast, it looks like we could get about 2-3 inches, which could certainly be problematic, but hopefully it will be on the lower end of things,” Green said.

“Crews will initially focus on pretreating priority routes to help reduce slickness and improve traction,” the city said in a news release. “As the snow begins to accumulate, efforts will shift to plowing and treating priority routes to maintain safer travel conditions.”

Columbia Public Work said it will prioritize highways and intersections to minimize disruptions caused by the snow, which coincided with the Mizzou football game against the Arkansas Razorbacks on the same day.

John Ogan, Columbia Public Works spokesman, advises drivers to allow extra time to travel and use caution when commuting Saturday morning.

“Drive well below the speed limit and give yourself extra time to catch up,” Ogan said. “Don’t follow other vehicles too closely and increase your braking distance when approaching intersections.”

Ogan doesn’t anticipate any specific challenges as he tries to eliminate the hazardous conditions, but he said his team is prepared to tackle any challenges that may arise.

Columbia Public Works crews completed a dry snow run earlier this month to review procedures and ensure they are fully prepared to handle snow conditions effectively.

“We had a dry snow race on Nov. 7 and the drivers used that day to recreate their routes and go through a lot of safety procedures,” Ogan said. “It was an opportunity for some of our more experienced drivers to train some of the newer drivers.”

For those going to the Mizzou football game on Saturday, Ogan suggests individuals take advantage of the city’s public transportation program to reduce traffic and complications.

“If you’re going to the game, you should take advantage of the free game day shuttles that we run. You can park downtown in a city garage and have a roof over your car,” Ogan said. “It allows you to avoid a lot of traffic and parking problems near the stadium.”

Columbia’s parking garages are free on weekends, and users can track the shuttle’s position with one of the following apps: DoubleMap Bus Tracker or ETA Spot.

With preparations underway early Saturday morning, City Public Works assured the community that they are doing everything they can to keep residents and visitors as safe as possible when traveling.

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