Snow Removal by Staff
University Apartments staff begin plowing snow as soon as it can safely be started. This may mean plowing during the snowstorm, or after it has stopped. Many staff members travel some distance to get here and their arrival time may be delayed by streets and highways that are not yet cleared of snow.
The first priority for snow removal are University Apartments main roads. Next are entrances to parking lots, the walking route to school, followed by sidewalks and parking lots. In general, sidewalks and steps are not cleared until it stops snowing.
When the weather conditions involve a combination of freezing rain and snow, or snow falling for several days, it will take time to clear roads, stairs, sidewalks, and parking lots. This is typical, as you travel throughout Madison this winter you will see how challenging snow removal is in the campus and downtown areas.
The “University Apartments Vehicles Only” parking spaces are used for snow piles as needed. (As a reminder, residents and visitors are never allowed to park in these stalls). When there is no more room in those designated staff stalls, then snow is piled into visitor spaces. Please stay clear of snow plows! It is not safe to be near them when they are in operation.
Salt does not work in all weather conditions and its use has a direct impact on the environment. All runoff from University Apartments ends up in the lakes so we have to report all salt usage for the annual environmental impact report. We do use salt, but we try to balance the need with the impact.
We do not have staff scheduled to work weekends, but we do have on-call and call-back procedures for when winter weather is predicted. There are less staff available to do this work on weekends, therefore it generally takes longer to clear roads and sidewalks. Some of the secondary sidewalks and stairs may not be cleared until the next business day.
Snow Removal by Residents
When there is heavy snowfall, it is not possible for staff to remove all snow immediately. It can take several days depending on the amount of snow. Residents should always use care when walking.
Residents are responsible for removing snow from the entranceways to their apartments, and from their own parking stalls. In University Houses, in some places this includes the narrow pathway out to the main sidewalk.
When clearing snow from your car and stall, please be careful not to block other cars, shovel the snow into other parking stalls, or onto sidewalks. Snow should be piled away from the parking lot and off of any paved surfaces.
It is best if residents have their own shovels, especially during times of heavy snow when shovels are in high demand. There are a few shovels available at the Apartment Facilities Office and at the Community Center for residents to use. These shovels should all be returned as soon as possible so others can use them.
Sand can be sprinkled on slippery areas. Sand barrels are located throughout the complex. Use as needed on slippery spots. If you choose to use your own salt, please use sparingly to avoid excess runoff into the lakes.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
It is very difficult for some people to remove snow. If you know of a neighbor who is having difficulty, perhaps you can offer to trade your shoveling for something they can do for you. There have been some people posting on bulletin boards and kiosks for snow shoveling for hire. Because we consider this to be a resident service, we do not discourage these efforts.