MERRIAM, Kan. — As the Kansas City metro area prepares for winter weather this weekend, mechanics want drivers to do the same.
JoCo Auto Repair in Merriam, Kansas, was not open Friday, but with a full garage, mechanics were still working to get caught up.
Alan Heriford, owner of the shop, said any extreme weather can be tough on a car. It's a reason many cars have recently come into his shop to be fixed.
"You just really need to know your vehicle, you need to know how it reacts," Heriford said.
Without proper maintenance, Heriford said most cars will end up in the shop with issues. With snow on the way, it's a busy time for Heriford. He said the best time to do a quick check on your vehicle is before the winter weather arrives.
Two main things to check are windshield wipers and tires. Heriford said those are both often overlooked.
The Kansas Department of Transportation and Missouri Department of Transportation both have crews on standby as they monitor the weather forecast. KDOT could send crews out as early as Saturday afternoon to pre-treat the roads.
Across the metro area, crews will have to tackle weather preparations differently due to the rain turning into snow.
"If we just get rain and sleet, we can handle it one way. If things change from the next to the next to the next, we obviously have to make an adjustment. You always have to adjust your game plan otherwise you may lose," said Markl Johnson with MoDOT.
Kansas City International Airport is also prepared for the winter weather. KCI spokesperson Joe McBride said equipment is ready to go and employees will be in to remove any snow. However, the airport isn't anticipating any issues for Sunday, one of the busiest travel days of the year.
"We expect 430,000 passengers to come in and out of KCI from the Friday before Thanksgiving all the way to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Historically, the peak day is going to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving when a lot of people have to be back to work the next Monday," McBride said.
