Kansas City, Missouri – As 2026 approaches, Kansas City enters the winter season with preparation, coordination, and confidence. After months of planning and hands-on training, teams from several departments have improved their skills and are now ready to deal with snow and ice swiftly. This year’s winter readiness comes with better equipment, fully filled supply domes, and technology that can follow plows in real time. The city anticipates these tools will help keep drivers, communities, and important trips safe during the harshest months.
Training for winter operations started in October. This gave both new and returning drivers time to learn how to use the equipment, find their way around, and communicate to each other. A total of 107 new workers joined the endeavor, which will help a fleet of trucks cover more than 6,000 lane miles on 103 plow routes. Kansas City plans to keep removing snow from the roadways until they are clear, using more than 300 vehicles citywide. This includes full curb-to-curb plowing on residential roads, which is a change from the single-pass strategy employed in the past.
The city’s salt domes are also stocked well ahead of schedule. Kansas City now has 36,500 tons of salt, 11,000 tons of Ice Ban, 51,000 gallons of salt brine, and 26,000 gallons of calcium chloride. There are more reserves on hand in case storms become more often or stronger. The winter plan focuses on pre-treatment, which means using Ice Ban, which is expected to be a stronger alternative at lower temperatures, together with regular salt to break up the top layers of ice before they stick to the road. Tandem plowing, where many trucks work together to make a single pass sweep, may also happen on wide multi-lane roadways.
Technology remains the most important part of winter response. Inside the Snow Command Center, staff work around the clock during bad weather using digital route management that is linked to every vehicle. Tablets installed under the Routeware Smart Cities partnership in the city help drivers see which streets are most important, keep track of where they’ve been, and respond promptly when new difficulty locations are notified. Residents can send input through the myKCMO app, which lets staff know about crossings or hills that need special attention when it snows.
Officials remind residents to get ready as well as the operations. Before freezing nights, it is a good idea to have emergency kits, know how to turn off the water, disconnect hoses, and know where the shut-off valves are in your home. The Snow Angels Program also has volunteer possibilities. Residents can help their neighbors who are having trouble clearing their sidewalks or driveways.
Kansas City is ready for winter because it has the resources and a trained crew ready to go when storms hit. The city is ready for the cold season of 2026 and expects to be able to handle it with strength and a constant response.
