MEDIA ALERT
Snow Moves Out as UG Crews Transition
to Neighborhood Routes
Refreezing expected overnight as dangerously cold wind chills settle in
KANSAS CITY, KS - Snow has moved out of the area, but frigid temperatures will remain through Monday, with the National Weather Service issuing an Extreme Cold Warning from midnight tonight through noon Monday. Wind chills as low as 20 to 25 degrees below zero are expected, creating dangerous conditions for anyone spending time outdoors.
Public Works’ Snow Crew continues operating on 12-hour split shifts and finished working through a fourth round of plowing on Hot and Secondary Routes earlier today. Hot Routes are major roads such as State Avenue and Parallel Parkway, along with streets that serve police stations, fire stations, hospitals, schools, and steep hills. Secondary Routes connect neighborhoods to those major corridors. Neighborhood Routes are residential streets, including cul-de-sacs and dead ends. Crews entered Neighborhood Routes this afternoon and will continue working in residential areas as if conditions allow. Neighborhood routes make up the majority of the city’s street network and typically take 48 to 72 hours to address once snowfall ends.
To help crews move more efficiently through neighborhoods, residents are encouraged to park in driveways whenever possible. Where on-street parking cannot be avoided, vehicles should be parked as close to the curb as possible.
While snowfall has ended, today’s brief warming created additional challenges. Street surface temperatures rose slightly above freezing, and added sunlight encouraged melting in many areas, particularly on streets running east to west. As temperatures drop sharply tonight, that melting will refreeze, increasing the risk of icy conditions on roadways.
What This Means for Neighborhoods
Neighborhood routes make up the majority of the city’s 2,400 lane miles and take significantly longer to clear during multi-day storms.
Staffing levels also affect how quickly crews can move through the system. Public Works typically has about 25 operators per shift available during snow response. For comparison, Overland Park operates with roughly 65 snowplow operators covering a similar number of miles. With fewer crews covering a large street network, plowing operations in Kansas City, Kansas, will take more time, particularly during extended storms like this one.
Residents are strongly encouraged to remain indoors unless travel is necessary. Those who must be out should slow down, allow extra stopping distance, and assume that any street may have ice present, even if it appears clear. Drivers are also asked to give snowplows plenty of room to work safely. Visit wycokck.org/Snow to learn more about snow removal operations and get answers to frequently asked questions.
To report a service issue, dial 3-1-1.
KCK Cold Weather Shelter and Warming Center
Overnight Shelter at Willa Gill Center:
(645 Nebraska Avenue, KCK)
- Due to the expected frigid temperatures, doors will remain open for guests.
- Closing will be extended one hour, from 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. to allow guests to smoothly transition to the Frank Williams Center for daytime warming.
Daytime Warming at Frank Williams Center:
(1201 N. 7th Street, KCK)
- Regular hours will resume on Monday1/26/26
Additional dates will be added in response to weather conditions.
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Public Transit
For Monday, January 26th Transit operations are listed below:
- Continuation of outlined fixed routes: RideKC Bus
- RideKC Freedom and IRIS will begin service at 7:00 AM
- All fixed routes will continue operating as scheduled
- Passengers should anticipate 30–60 minute delays
- We strongly encourage passengers to reschedule bookings if possible
Riders may expect delays and are encouraged to plan accordingly.
Learn more about WyCo/KCK Transit and Routes: RideKC Bus
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Reminder: Service Impacts for Monday, January 26
Unified Government Offices
Please be advised that the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas offices will be closed to in-person business on Monday, January 26, 2026, due to extreme frigid weather conditions.
District Court Operations at the Courthouse, Juvenile Detention Center, and Community Corrections will remain open for in-person business, along with the District Attorney's Office, Treasury (Courthouse), Annex (82nd & State Avenue) and the Treasury location at City Hall in Bonner Springs (Renewals Only).
UG employees will work remotely, where feasible, for non-essential employees to ensure continuity of general operations.
Municipal Court
Due to the anticipated severe weather conditions, the Kansas City, Kansas Municipal Court will be closed Monday, January 26th. Any scheduled hearings will be continued; persons will receive notification in the mail of their new court date.
Payments can still be made by using the “My Wyco” App or by visiting our webpage at www.wycokck.org/municipal.
Also, for persons in jail, bonds can be posted at the jail; otherwise, bonds cannot be posted during this closure.
UG Standing Committee Meetings
Please be advised that the Public Works & Safety and Administration & Human Services Standing Committees meetings that were scheduled for Monday, January 26th, have been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 28th at 5PM in the 5th floor conference room of the Municipal building. - Learn More
Please stay tuned for additional updates as the weekend weather progresses.
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