With the snow finally beginning to settle, Wisconsin officials and residents are working to recover from this weekend’s blizzard.
Despite treacherous road conditions, there were no serious injuries or deaths reported from traffic accidents even though there were multiple cars in ditches and trucks snowed into rest areas, according to Tod Pritchard, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Emergency Management.
Wisconsin Emergency Management began issuing warnings Friday and Gov. Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency Sunday, which enables the state to request assistance from the Wisconsin National Guard.
White-out conditions in some areas led to I-94 being declared impassable overnight Saturday, although all highways were open late Sunday with the exception of Highway 14 in Walworth County, which remained closed, Pritchard said.
Overall, Pritchard said the storm itself was no more than was expected and the lack of serious accidents was largely due to the cooperation of motorists, which led to low traffic volumes Sunday.
“Kudos go out to all the drivers in Wisconsin because they really heeded the warnings and a lot of folks did stay off the roads today,” Pritchard said.
In Madison, emergency responses to the snow were better than in the past because officials learned from past mistakes, said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
There were no serious car accidents from the snow in Madison, most likely because the campus and downtown area usually have more snow plows than other areas of the city, Verveer said.
Verveer added residents who do not observe emergency snow parking regulations will be towed Sunday and Monday during the two-day snow emergency and will also receive more expensive tickets.
The snow also disrupted events at the University of Wisconsin and caused several buildings to close.
The UW Law School postponed finals on Sunday, according to Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Affairs Ruth Robarts.
She said many students and staff live far from campus and with
Madison Metro buses not operating, risking the safety of students and
staff was not worth it.
Two exams were postponed Sunday, Robarts said, impacting approximately 290 students.
According to a statement released by UW, a lighting ceremony by Friends of UW Hospital and Clinics, the Sunday Afternoon Live from the Chazen concert and the Waisman Center Children’s Theatre performance were cancelled.
The UW men’s wrestling match against Michigan and poet Sandy Stark’s book reading and signing at the UW Arboretum were postponed, according to the statement.
Five UW libraries closed, including Ebling, MERIT, Mills and Social Work, however the Southeast Recreational Facility and the Natatorium remained open.
The UW statement also said residents of Eagle Heights on campus as well as some in Shorewood Hills experienced a power outage from Saturday night into Sunday morning, but Madison Gas and Electric resolved the problem Sunday.
Homes throughout Wisconsin also experienced power outages, with 1,000 customers in Kewaunee, 3,100 customers in Two Rivers, 1,600 customers in Wausau and 500 in Minocqua without power as of Sunday evening, according to Wisconsin Emergency Management. WE Energies also reported 3,700 customers are without power in West Bend.
– Katherine Krueger and Jen Zettel contributed to this report.
