Categories: Breaking NewsDisastersKansas City, KSNews

Winter Storm Causes Major Disruptions in Kansas City Traffic

Snow-covered highways in Kansas City during winter storm

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News Summary

A severe winter storm has significantly impacted Kansas City area highways, causing numerous traffic incidents and delays. Interstate closures and stalled vehicles are reported, cautioning residents against unnecessary travel. Emergency crews are working to clear snow-covered roads as public transit faces disruptions. Travelers are advised to stay updated on road conditions to ensure safety.

Winter Storm Wreaks Havoc on Kansas City Area Highways

Kansas City residents are braving the elements as a severe winter storm continues to impact highways and major roadways across the area. As of January 2, 2025, the effects of the snow and icy conditions have caused significant traffic incidents and delays, making travel difficult for anyone planning to hit the road.

Current Traffic Conditions

Let’s start with some good news! The Kansas 10 highway is currently free of any incidents, so if that’s part of your usual route, consider yourself in luck. However, travelers on eastbound K-10 in Lenexa are not so fortunate. A broken-down vehicle was reported from South Cedar Creek Parkway to K-7, first noted at 5:37 p.m. on Sunday. The situation wasn’t resolved until just after 6:30 p.m. That’s not the end of it though—another vehicle was reported stalled on the same highway between Kill Creek Road and South Cedar Creek Parkway, leading to warnings around 5:46 p.m. and an impact stretching up to 570 feet which was cleared shortly after.

Snow-Covered Roads

Many major roads in and out of Kansas City are currently blanketed in snow, leaving them in less-than-ideal driving conditions. While there haven’t been any formal road closures announced just yet, federal and state highways in over a dozen counties, including Johnson and Wyandotte, have ground to a halt. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) reported that Interstate 35 northbound experienced a closure around 1 p.m. between I-435 and Lenexa due to the severe weather.

Additional Road Closures

If you were planning to travel via other routes, you may want to think twice! A handful of other closures include:

U.S. 24 between Saint Marys and Kansas City
U.S. 59 between U.S. 40 and the Missouri state border
U.S. 73 starting at U.S. 59 until the highway’s end
I-69 throughout Kansas City
I-670 throughout Kansas City
K-4 starting at K-92 until the end of the highway
K-5 between I-435 in Kansas City and U.S. 73 in Leavenworth
K-16 between U.S. 59 and U.S. 24
K-92 between Ozawkie and Oskaloosa, and McLouth to Leavenworth

Add to that the highways that remain uncovered but in treacherous conditions, such as US 56, K-7, K-32, K-33, K-92, I-435, and I-635. If you’re out and about, exercise caution.

Stalled Vehicles and Public Transit Troubles

As a result of this winter weather, several stalled vehicles are causing delays on major interstates. Notable spots include:

Right shoulder of Overland Parkway in Overland Park
Right shoulder of I-435 at College Boulevard in South Overland Park
Right shoulder of I-435 southbound near Gregory Boulevard in Raytown
Right shoulder of I-70 westbound at Blue Ridge Cutoff in East Kansas City
Right shoulder of U.S. 69 between W 95th Street and W 103rd Street in Overland Park

On top of that, come 8 a.m. on January 2, the Kansas City streetcar service was temporarily suspended. The city’s traffic management system, KC SCOUT, faced outages throughout the day as well. If you were hoping to use RideKC services, including IRIS cars and Freedom Paratransit buses, you’ll have to wait, as those have been suspended through at least the end of the day due to unfavorable road conditions.

What’s Being Done?

Emergency crews are on the case, working diligently to clear roadways, especially around the troublesome areas of I-435 and I-470 East, where maintenance began around 9:30 a.m. today. If you’re on the road, remember to stay safe, keep your distance, and stay tuned for updates. We all want to get home safe and sound!