“Missouri Winter Storm December 1, 2025: MoDOT Under Fire Over Untreated Roads as Crashes Snarl I-70, I-35 and Highway 54”

As Missouri woke up to a wintry jolt on December 1, 2025, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) found itself at the center of both weather-related disruption and ongoing infrastructure milestones across the state.

In the St. Louis region, MoDOT drew scrutiny after admitting it did not pre-treat major roads ahead of Monday’s winter storm, a decision officials linked to weather forecasts that underestimated the timing and intensity of the snow. The result: slick highways, mounting crashes and renewed questions about how the agency balances forecast uncertainty with aggressive pretreatment.

To the west, the Kansas City metro experienced widespread travel headaches as snow and crashes forced multiple interstate closures. Portions of Interstate 70 near Jackson Avenue and the Paseo, I-35 past Penn Valley Drive and sections of U.S. 71 all saw shutdowns, with MoDOT warning drivers via social media to slow down, buckle up and expect significant delays.

Mid-Missouri also felt the storm’s impact. MoDOT’s traffic cameras showed snow-covered highways and a series of crashes as snow began sticking by mid-morning. State routes in western Mid-Missouri, including stretches of Highways 40, 24 and 240, were reported as partially to fully covered, prompting advisories about hazardous conditions for the evening commute.

Even as crews scrambled to treat and clear roads, MoDOT highlighted recent progress on longer-term projects. South of Jefferson City, the agency announced that work on Highway 54 is largely complete, including bridge repairs over the Neighorn Branch. Remaining lane closures and turning restrictions are expected to ease as punch-list items wrap up, improving a key corridor for both local traffic and lake-bound travelers.

The early-winter storm also served as an unofficial stress test for MoDOT’s broader system upgrades. Data from the agency’s traveler information map — now a go-to tool for checking snow coverage, crashes and closures in real time — underscored just how quickly conditions can deteriorate across a large, rural-urban network when a fast-moving band of snow arrives during peak travel.

For Missourians, today’s MoDOT story is a familiar mix: high-stakes winter operations playing out hour by hour on the highways, alongside the quieter but crucial progress of construction projects meant to make those same roads safer and more resilient in storms to come.