respublica

Winter will not leave

Another round of snow yesterday afternoon, more accidents on the highways. Here's what bugs me. MoDOT needs to go over to IDOT and learn how to clear roads in a timely and worthwhile manner. The lecture a MoDOT official gave viewers on local news Friday morning was a waste. He claimed they were out with 200 trucks pre-treating ahead of the storm. He also said, "The agency wants to make sure roads are clear and safe for all drivers for Fridays commute." But you'd never have known this if you were one of those who tried to drive on any of the Missouri roads. Another several hundred crashes and a horrific pile-up near Concordia Missouri.

I don't know what they use for treating the roads in this state, but it doesn't benefit drivers much. Dale left Clayton for Collinsville yesterday afternoon a little before 3 and he said 64/40 was horrible, you couldn't see the pavement for the snow. But once into Illinois the roads were clear, mainly wet, but in many areas almost dry.

So what's the difference in how the two states handle winter weather? There is a lot Illinois could teach Missouri.

Warning! Winter weather coming!

All morning, even last night, local weather reporters and MoDOT officials were blasting out a forecast of snow for today. There were even dire pieces of advice to "please stay off the roads" today. You'd have thought we are in for a major snowfall, but further checking seems to predict 1-2, maybe 2-3 inches, most of us in the 1-2 range. All the weather people are being very forceful in getting our attention. "Get Ready for More Snow!" They've got us covered with the timing of this storm. A MoDOT even had a press conference this morning with two officials giving very serious advice for motorists today, "Stay off the Roads, we already have trucks out pre-treating."

This is certainly different from last Sunday when we woke up to roads which were covered with ice and not driveable at all. We'd heard similar predictions on Saturday, "ice coming, be very cautious and maybe don't plan to drive." The grocery stores were crowded on Saturday as most people heard the forecast. But for some reason it didn't seem as though MoDOT did much pre-treating since everything was ice covered the next day. Lots of accidents and road closures last Sunday morning.

Maybe last week's ice wasn't something that could be pre-treated, but it was the one odd part of that ice storm. So today they're out treating for snow.

A New Leader

This may be a first, mattresses overtook ladders while falling onto local highways. On 70 at Union a mattress this morning and yesterday afternoon on 55 at Meramec.

Mattresses 12

Ladders 11

More car jackings

There seem to be more and more car jackings in the St. Louis Metro, including the Metro East. Last night a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital was held up at gunpoint as she left her shift at 8 o'clock. The man got her car and took off. So far her car hasn't been found. This one is too close to home, just down the street from us.

A second car jacking, kidnapping and shooting began near Jefferson City with a police chase beginning on 44  and continuing over into the Metro East. This was an awful incident, with several people shot and at least one killed.

So what is causing this almost nightly car jacking? What do the car jackers hope to gain? They can't sell the car. Do they just need transportation and this is a quick way to get it? It's to the point where I don't have much interest in being out at night.

Catching up on the falls

The end of last week saw several mattresses fall onto the highways, one spot had 2. Then during yesterday's afternoon rush hour, a ladder fell on 55 near Reavis Barracks.

So,

Mattresses 10

Ladders 11

The Musial Memorial Bridge

Can you believe it's been five years since the official opening of the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge? I sure can't.

It's been helpful during Poplar Street Bridge construction, but not always easy taking St. Louis side streets to get to and from it. I will say, though, the side streets have given us a new view of neighborhoods around downtown which we wouldn't normally have ever seen.

Squandering a big lead

Who knows what was going on yesterday, it must have been a big day for people changing out or moving mattresses because 3 fell on local highways. They're narrowing the big lead ladders had.

Mattresses 6

Ladders 9

Adding up

I guess last week when the snow finally went away and the temperatures rose a bit, people decided to get their ladders and mattresses moving again. Especially ladders.  Watch out everyone.

Mattresses 3

Ladders 9

The falling continues

I've been behind in posting the number of mattresses and ladders which have hit St. Louis roadways in 2019 so this is catch up day.

Mattresses 2

Ladders 6

A different kind of highway debris

This morning St. Louis drivers on 55 near Union were treated to a different kind of debris on the road. A truck lost its load of televisions. Quite different from the normal mattresses and ladders.