Maintenance Crews Make Shift Changes To Adhere to CDC Guidelines

Repairs to Missouri’s transportation system have continued throughout the spring, yet the COVID-19 pandemic has forced maintenance crews to modify work schedules to accommodate guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Missouri Health and Senior Services (MHSS). Motorists can expect to see road work until dusk Monday through Friday in the northernmost counties in northeast Missouri.

“Each of the seven MoDOT districts has had to determine what will work best for them to manage resources during this time, and for some of our buildings, it made the most sense to divide shifts because we have more workers than trucks,” says Jennifer Hinson, MoDOT’s Northeast District maintenance and traffic engineer.

Beginning this week, the crews in Lewis, Clark, Scotland, Knox and Schuyler counties are working two shifts – 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. During daylight hours, the crews fill potholes, repair road edges, repair signs, mow, haul sand, repair equipment, and perform drainage work. After dark, the work is limited to inside the building and includes repairing, hauling materials and equipment, cleaning equipment and cleaning the building.

If MoDOT trucks and personnel are seen working later in the day than normal, please know this is a temporary action until the Covid-19 situation has diminished to a point where normal practices can be put in place once again.

As you approach a work zone, please don’t drive distracted. Always buckle up and put your phone down for your safety and the safety of highway workers. All work zones are online at www.modot.org, and you can receive the latest news about road work in your area by signing up for e-updates.