In a winter where Chicago experienced the lowest snowfall in 146 years, the University also experienced a noticeable lack of snowfall.

Steven Breitwieser, manager of communications and external relations, deals with Univeristy funds expended for snow removal and pavement salting on campus.

The various faculty involved in snow removal include Grounds, Transportation, and Building Services Departments. The University makes snow removal a priority, allowing the campus to remain accessible and functional.

Though all winters vary, this year’s snow removal cost approximately $200,000. This cost includes materials used and staff utilized.

Salting campus sidewalks and streets is a top snow removal method for the University.

“Brine solution is utilized for winter weather preparations. This pretreatment of de-icing liquid applied to sidewalks, streets, and parking lots helps facilitate snow removal process” Breitwieser said.

Brine is a mixture of water and salt. It is the least harmful to our campuses landscape as well as a more economical option to treat larger campus areas, he said.

This salting process is also an important safety feature on roads, specifically parking lots, building entrances, and curb cuts, to prevent snow buildup, Breitwieser said.

The salt used on campus is bought throughout the year to ensure the campus is adequately prepared for the winter months but as the winter snowfall remained minimal, the pre-purchased salt will be saved and used for next year’s winter months.

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