JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- State transportation workers are rushing to fix 504 sections of guard cables that were damaged during storms over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says the number of vehicles that slid into the highway cables during the storms was more than double the number usually reported in a month.

The Kansas City Star reports it will cost the state about $400,000 to fix the damaged guard cables.

But Lee Bearce, of the transportation department, says it's a priority to fix the damage because the cables prevent vehicles from crossing over medians into oncoming traffic.

Missouri has about 600 miles of guard cable in the medians of major highways. The state averages about 2,300 reported vehicle strikes a year -- or 192 a month.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com