NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Monday marked another busy day for road crews across the Kansas City area, including plow truck drivers in North Kansas City who described the obstacles teams encounter when clearing neighborhood streets.
NKC's crews have been working rotating 12-hours shifts since snow started falling on Sunday to try and keep roads clear around the city.
Darin Elifrits, who has plowed streets for around 25 years, said the crews understand the importance of the job.
“We’ve got the school, the hospital, and tons and tons of businesses,” he said. “Most people expect, when they get to North Kansas City, that our streets are going to be clean, because they always have been.”
While Elifrits and other crew members worked to clear streets on Sunday and Monday, the team described problems they encounter on the roads, which can lead to expensive repairs.
For example, Elifrits hit a manhole cover, causing it to pop up onto the street as 41 Action News followed the truck he was driving Monday morning.
*WATCH*: A @cityofnkc plow truck hits a manhole cover.
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) December 16, 2019
These can cause some issues and expensive repairs for the trucks.
Parked cars and those steel plates used to cover potholes can also cause problems this time of year. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/4ii7YgUssp
Manhole covers along with steel plates used to cover potholes can end up leading to expensive repairs.
“They break the plows pretty regularly, and it costs a lot of money to fix these things,” Elifrits said. “We’ve even snapped the blades in half and had to replace the blades down low.”
Elifrits added that parked cars can add to the difficulties of plowing local neighborhoods.
Despite the issues, he said the task needed to get done.
“Everybody depends on us to get it open and to be here,” he said. “That’s part of our job. We’re here.”
For people around the city, including first-grade teacher Tia Hernandez, the road crews' effort is appreciated.
“I’m terrified of driving in the snow,” Hernandez, who had a snow day Monday, said. “To see my road clear before I have to go anywhere makes me feel good when there is horrible weather.”
North Kansas City crews cover around 100 total lane miles around the city.
As a reminder, drivers are asked to give plow trucks space, because it can be tough for operators to see other cars.
