County road crews remain ready for winter weather
City road crews also worked to keep streets clear during last weekend’s snow.
Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, Stone County received snow accumulations ranging from about two inches to about six inches last Saturday, January 15.
Snow accumulation measurements were taken on flat surfaces other than the grass. The southern part of the county received the most snow, with about four to six inches. The center and northern part of the county received about three to four inches. The northwest side of the county received the least amount of snowfall, with about two to three inches. Some parts of Stone County’s neighbor to the east, Taney County, received up to eight inches during the same event.
City crews across the county, The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and the Stone County Road and Bridge Department worked to keep the roads clear from the snow before and during the snowfall event.
The Northern Commissioner in Stone County, Wayne Blades, said the Road and Bridge Department remains prepared for snow and ice throughout the winter months and uses a treatment mixture to treat roads when needed. During snowstorms or ice events, crew members often work long hours.
“We use salt and chips [to treat the roads]. In severe cold, we add an activator to enhance the melting of the snow. We call the guys in if the events start overnight or weekends as soon as possible,” Blades said.
The county has barn locations in the north, center, and south, where they store materials used to treat the roads. Road and Bridge crews have the materials on-hand and ready for when winter weather strikes in Stone County. Blades said that the county’s barns are well-stocked with treatment materials at this point in the winter.
“We have a good supply of salt and chips at both of the barns I oversee at North and Central,” Blades said.
County leaders say Road and Bridge Department crew members are in good supply, as well. That’s unlike the Missouri Department of Transportation, which is experiencing a staff shortage. MoDOT continues to seek employees to maintain Missouri’s roads and bridges and to keep roads clear in the winter. However, Blades says the Stone County Road and Bridge Department is adequately staffed at this time. He said the same crew members who work for the department year-round also clean the roads during winter weather events.
“Our regular staff are our snowplow operators. We do not have outside contractors or part-time employees,” Blades explained.
Blades said the county crews are well-versed in making roads as safe as possible during winter weather events. The county has the needed supplies and hard-working employees that help make the process of treating and clearing the roads as smooth as possible when winter weather events happen.
“We have good equipment and experienced employees to handle normal winter storms. We use a system of assigned snow routes to make sure all roads are covered regularly. Ice is always more difficult to deal with because it cannot be removed like snow,” Blades said.
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, Stone County received snow accumulations ranging from about two inches to about six inches last Saturday, January 15.
Snow accumulation measurements were taken on flat surfaces other than the grass. The southern part of the county received the most snow, with about four to six inches. The center and northern part of the county received about three to four inches. The northwest side of the county received the least amount of snowfall, with about two to three inches. Some parts of Stone County’s neighbor to the east, Taney County, received up to eight inches during the same event.
City crews across the county, The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and the Stone County Road and Bridge Department worked to keep the roads clear from the snow before and during the snowfall event.
The Northern Commissioner in Stone County, Wayne Blades, said the Road and Bridge Department remains prepared for snow and ice throughout the winter months and uses a treatment mixture to treat roads when needed. During snowstorms or ice events, crew members often work long hours.
“We use salt and chips [to treat the roads]. In severe cold, we add an activator to enhance the melting of the snow. We call the guys in if the events start overnight or weekends as soon as possible,” Blades said.
The county has barn locations in the north, center, and south, where they store materials used to treat the roads. Road and Bridge crews have the materials on-hand and ready for when winter weather strikes in Stone County. Blades said that the county’s barns are well-stocked with treatment materials at this point in the winter.
“We have a good supply of salt and chips at both of the barns I oversee at North and Central,” Blades said.
County leaders say Road and Bridge Department crew members are in good supply, as well. That’s unlike the Missouri Department of Transportation, which is experiencing a staff shortage. MoDOT continues to seek employees to maintain Missouri’s roads and bridges and to keep roads clear in the winter. However, Blades says the Stone County Road and Bridge Department is adequately staffed at this time. He said the same crew members who work for the department year-round also clean the roads during winter weather events.
“Our regular staff are our snowplow operators. We do not have outside contractors or part-time employees,” Blades explained.
Blades said the county crews are well-versed in making roads as safe as possible during winter weather events. The county has the needed supplies and hard-working employees that help make the process of treating and clearing the roads as smooth as possible when winter weather events happen.
“We have good equipment and experienced employees to handle normal winter storms. We use a system of assigned snow routes to make sure all roads are covered regularly. Ice is always more difficult to deal with because it cannot be removed like snow,” Blades said.