Winter travel in KC: What to know
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This weekend's winter storm is expected to make travel around KC increasingly hazardous.
The big picture: If you don't have to travel this weekend, don't. If you must, here's what to know before heading out.
🚗 Driving
In KC, Public Works crews prioritize emergency routes and major streets first, aiming to make one full pass on every street within 48 hours of the snow stopping.
- Neighborhood streets are typically cleared to a single drivable lane, not curb to curb, especially while snow is still falling. Here is a map of all snowplow routes.
- KDOT warns that dry snow and wind gusts up to 30 mph could reduce visibility and cause drifting on highways. Check KanDrive for real-time road conditions and camera views.
- In Missouri, MoDOT crews always work 12-hour shifts around the clock once snow begins, though rural highways may take longer to clear. The MoDOT app can provide current conditions.
If you must drive, check your tires, have fluids and batteries, have at least a half tank of gas and carry an emergency kit.
🚌 Buses
Bus service will continue during winter weather, but riders should expect delays and route changes if snow and ice worsen.
- RideKC activates snow reroute plans when conditions deteriorate, shifting some buses off hills and side streets and onto major roads. That means certain stops may be skipped and trips may take longer than usual.
- Riders should check ridekc.org, RideKC Notify, social media or the Transit app for updates before heading out.
🚋 Streetcar
The streetcar typically runs through winter weather, but riders should expect delays during snow and ice.
- Ahead of storms, crews pre-treat tracks and platforms and use the streetcar's snow sweeper, nicknamed Brushy McBrushface, to keep tracks clear as snow accumulates.
- Before waiting out in the cold at a stop, riders should check for service alerts on the public works website or sign up for text updates by texting "kcstreetcar" to 797979.
✈️ KCI
The airport is not expecting widespread cancellations, but officials urge travelers, especially those flying to cities farther into the storm's path, such as Dallas or Oklahoma City, to closely monitor their airline's website for updates.
- "KCAD staff are aiming to minimize disruption as much as possible through actions like clearing the runway," KC Aviation Department spokesperson Jackson Overstreet tells Axios.