The City of Champaign Public Works Department worked throughout the night and continues to work to address the snowfall that has accumulated. The Illinois State Water Survey reports the area has received 4.2 inches in the last 24 hours. According to Public Works Director Dennis Schmidt, “We have followed the plans set forth in the City‟s Snow and Ice Control Plan. All equipment is operational and supplies are adequate. Our primary routes have been cleared to ‘near-bare pavement’ and City parking lots and City sidewalks have been cleared. A crew is working until 11:30 pm tonight, plowing the secondary routes. They will also continue to monitor the primaries around the perimeter, where we are still experiencing blowing snow. A third crew will report at 11:15 pm tonight and work throughout the night plowing cul-de-sacs and dead end streets. We anticipate by the time residents wake up on Thursday to have completed our snow and ice plan, several hours ahead of schedule.”
Forecasts are calling for no additional accumulation, but blowing snow can still cause some issues around the City‟s perimeter. Citizens are encouraged to take appropriate precautions when driving: leave early, allow extra time to reach your destination, stay off the streets whenever possible, and be cautious around snowplows. The Public Works Director has activated the Sidewalk Snow Removal Ordinance for the Downtown and Campustown areas effective at 10:00 am Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Sidewalks in this area need to be cleared by 10:00 am Friday, March 8, 2013.
For additional information about the City‟s Snow and Ice Control Plan and to view Primary Route Maps, citizens are encouraged visit the Public Works Department page at the City‟s website (www.ci.champaign.il.us). To report missed streets or slick spots after the scheduled deadline, citizens can call the Public Works Department. Whenever possible, Citizens are encouraged to keep City streets free of parked vehicles during this time to expedite plowing efforts and to utilize alternate off-street locations (such as the Hill Street Parking Deck in Downtown) in lieu of parking on the street.