The City of Champaign Public Works Department has been working around the clock since Saturday night to address the 11.5 inches of snowfall accumulated from Sunday and Monday’s winter storm. According to Public Works Director Dennis Schmidt, “We are following the plans set forth in the City’s Snow and Ice Control Plan. A crew will continue to work until 11:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 25. A second crew will report at 11:15 p.m. tonight and work throughout the night. These crews clear City streets, parking lots, and sidewalks with the goal of providing for the safety and well being of the City’s citizens and visitors. Crews finished clearing the primary routes cleared by 3 p.m. today and have moved into the secondary streets. We expect to have plowed all streets by the time residents start heading out on Tuesday morning.”
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. Citizens are also reminded not to shovel or plow snow from their property into the street. Because we received more than two inches of snow, we activated the Sidewalk Snow Ordinance as of 3 p.m. today in the Downtown and Campustown areas. Sidewalks in those areas need to be cleared by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. Emergency Snow Routes are not being activated.
Public Works staff will continue to proactively monitor forecasts and respond in a timely and efficient manner to threats of inclement weather. Citizens are encouraged to monitor the City’s website (www.ci.champaign.il.us), CGTV Cable Channel 5 and local media for information about street clearing activities. 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.