University students woke up Saturday morning to find the campus covered in snow – students with cars woke up to dangerous driving conditions.

“It was kind of scary,” said Christina Chae, sophomore in LAS, describing her afternoon drive to a campus bookstore on the snow-covered roads. “I saw other cars slipping and swerving in front of me so I decided to drive really slow.”

Bob Kelly, Director of the University Facilities & Services Parking Department, said the University snow removal plan prioritizes plowing streets based on use.

Kelly said frequently used campus streets are the first areas plowed.

Parking fees and University parking passes pay for snow removal on campus.

The Public Works Departments of Champaign and Urbana have agreements with the University regarding who is responsible for snow removal on and around campus.

The University maintains many campus thoroughfares, including sections of Oak Street, First Street, Fourth Street, Peabody Drive, Gregory Drive, Armory Avenue and others.

According to Rich Coyne, operations supervisor for the Urbana Public Works Department, snow removal on Urbana streets west of Lincoln Avenue between University Avenue and Florida Avenue except for Green Street, Springfield Avenue and Florida Avenue is the responsibility of the University.

“If these streets are still not cleared by the University by the time we (Urbana Public Works Employees) get there, we’ll clear the roads,” Coyne added.

As for Saturday’s snow removal, Coyne said that his department had all major streets, residential streets and sidewalks cleared by 8 a.m. Sunday – a good performance, he said.

The Operations Department of Champaign Public Works’ policy for snow removal schedules clearing primary routes, including Mattis Avenue and MTD bus routes, first. Secondary roads such as John Street and Sixth Street are then cleared, followed by residential city streets further from campus.

According to their Web sites, the cities of Champaign and Urbana request residents avoid parking on main streets where parked cars obstruct plows from effectively clearing snow and using off-street parking. They also remind residents to keep children away from streets while plows are operating and urge caution while playing in snow piles left by the plows. The sites also stated that placing snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks into public streets is prohibited and cooperation from residents will make snow removal faster and cheaper. Any damage caused by city plows can be reported to the residents’ Public Works Department.

“Nothing’s going to be perfectly cleared till the storm settles in,” Coyne said. He encouraged patience, because not much can be done when the snow is blowing on and off the road.

“Every year snow plans change according to the input we get from our employees out there working to clear the streets,” Coyne said. “They come up with good ideas and plans change to make it better for the next storm.”