The Badger Herald: News: University rolls out plans for heavy snow

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University rolls out plans for heavy snow

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Also by Jim O'Connell:

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University rolls out plans for heavy snow (November 19, 2008)
Student impact on election will be 'massive' (October 24, 2008)

By Jim O'Connell
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 12:00 a.m.

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After record snowfall in Madison last year, the University of Wisconsin announced Tuesday it is stepping up its efforts to combat the elements.

With the addition of “Snow Action Days,” expanded parking regulations and new snow removal machines, the university hopes to make braving mother nature easier for students and faculty.

To try to avoid snow-related class cancellations again this winter, UW will call for Snow Action Days when especially harsh, snowy conditions are expected.

According to UW Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Alan Fish, this will serve as a way to increase campus awareness on days in which considerable amounts of snow and ice need to be moved. These alerts will not signify the cancellation of classes.

“On those days we are going to encourage folks to walk, take the bus and get alternative transportation, and if you do drive, try to park in places where the snow has already been cleared,” Fish said.

Fish said UW will ask students and faculty to avoid using bikes and mopeds on these days in order to help prevent accidents.

There will also be signs at Memorial Union and the top of Bascom Hill to notify commuters whether the sharp turn on Observatory Drive is too dangerous for the 80, 81 and 85 Madison Metro buses to run.

To allow effective plowing on Observatory Drive and other roads on campus, a series of new parking regulations went into effect Saturday and will continue through March 15.

“On a couple of the streets on campus, Observatory Drive and Linden Drive, we are not going to allow overnight parking,” Fish said.

These areas have been marked with signs that call for no parking from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Fish is optimistic about the enforcement of these new rules because not many cars park along those streets to begin with. However, he still wants to make sure the narrow streets remain clear for plows.

Although secondary to keeping the roadways clear, the safety of footpaths is being addressed in order make the walk to class easier for concerned students.

“Although we got so much more snow than expected last year, it was ridiculous at times,” UW sophomore Erik Larson said. “I was beginning to wonder how many people had to fall each day before the school was going to do something about the problem.”

According to Fish, some new chemical solutions will be used on Bascom Hill and on the bridge over Park Street to try to prevent ice accumulation, but new machinery and a larger work force will help the most.

The addition of three new “Snowcat” shovels will cut down on the snow compaction and ice formation that created hazards on sidewalks last year.

“These Snowcats will be able to provide a little more leverage to get snow and ice off of sidewalks more efficiently than we have been able to in the past,” Fish said.

Fish added UW will hire students as temporary workers to shovel snow as was done last year at a rate of $11 per hour.

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