Statewide drill will test Missouri DOT’s “winter battle plan” readiness

Updated Nov 7, 2015

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The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) today is testing its winter weather readiness with a statewide drill that simulates a forecast for “significant snow” across the state.

“Over 3,500 MoDOT employees are involved in our winter operations, including every maintenance crew across the state,” said State Maintenance Engineer Becky Allmeroth. “The annual drill helps to make sure we all know our roles during a storm, and we can do our jobs successfully.”

MoDOT will activate its emergency operations centers and deploy maintenance employees to their trucks as part of the drill. More department employees than normal will be on state routes, with crews in rural areas starting the drill after 8 a.m. and urban-area crews starting after 9 a.m. The drill will be finished by 3 p.m.

“One of the most valuable parts of the drill is to measure our snowplow circuits by driving routes we may have modified since the previous winter season,” Allmeroth added.

“As we open new roads and lanes we must modify our snow removal plans. It also allows our newest snow fighters the opportunity to drive a snowplow over some of their proposed routes so they are aware of obstacles and obstructions that might be hidden in a storm by snow or ice such as curbs and raised islands.”