News from City Hall

City Communications Office

City of Kansas City, Mo.

http://www.kcmo.org

CONTACT: Mary Charles, city communications officer, (816) 513-1356

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 24, 2009

City crews preparing to respond to winter storm

City of Kansas City, Mo., crews assigned to arterial, primary and residential streets are preparing to respond to the winter weather that is expected to move into the Kansas City area today.

Crews assigned to arterial, primary and residential streets are in position to begin plowing operations when precipitation changes to snow or ice.

The City's Snow and Ice Plan calls for keeping primary and arterial streets open for traffic. On primary and arterial streets, crews plow curb-to-curb and work around the clock to remove snow and apply salt. On residential streets, the plan calls for providing a passable lane. Crews assigned to residential streets apply salt on intersections, hills and curves and plow snow as needed.

Phase I of a winter storm watch will be issued when the streets are slick. During this time, drivers who do not have snow tires on their cars will be ticketed if they get stuck on a major thoroughfare.

In Phase II of a winter storm, cars parked on designated snow routes will be ticketed two hours after the phase is implemented.

The City's Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Water Services departments collaborate to remove snow and ice from approximately 900 miles of primary and arterial routes and more than 1,800 miles of residential routes.

Residents may call the following numbers for assistance: 3-1-1 City Action Center (a division of the City Manager's Office), 311; and the Missouri Department of Transportation, (816) 622-6500. Requests for removal of tree limbs from the rights-of-way should be directed to the 3-1-1 City Action Center.

Media inquiries about ice and snow removal should be directed to Dennis Gagnon, public information officer for the Public Works Department, (816) 513-2659.

--30--