As your students prepare to return to campus, remind them of the importance of winter weather awareness to keep our community safe. Please see these guidelines from our Physical Plant.
Gates have been installed at the entrances to James McCarthy Drive. In the event of ice or heavy snow accumulations, these gates may be closed to prevent accidents or stalled automobiles. Road closings will be announced to the campus by email. If James McCarthy Drive is closed due to poor weather conditions, please use the main campus entrances located on Mitchell Avenue.
Precautionary/Preparedness Actions
A winter weather advisory means wintery weather is expected. Exercise caution. Light amounts of wintry precipitation or patchy blowing snow will cause slick conditions and could affect travel, sidewalks and steps.
A winter storm watch means snow, sleet or ice possible! Be prepared. Winter storms may produce heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain and cause significant impacts.
A winter storm warning means snow, sleet, or ice is expected! Take action! Storm is predicted to produce heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain and cause a significant impact to travel.
Driving Tips
Winter road conditions require your extra attention. Stay off your cell phone and drive at safe and legal speeds, staying alert and sober. Remember to buckle up!
Drive with your headlights on
Be sure to defrost your windshields completely before driving.
Slow down! Give yourself extra time to reach your destination when roads are slick. If at all possible, do not drive when the roads are icy or consider delaying your trip.
Leave room for maintenance vehicles and plows – stay at least 15 car lengths (200 feet) back and don’t pass on the right.
Watch for icy surfaces on bridges, even when the rest of the road seems to be in good condition.
Look farther ahead in traffic. Actions by other drivers will alert you to problems and give you extra seconds to react.
Trucks take longer to stop, so don’t cut in front of them.
Don’t use your cruise control or overdrive when it’s freezing (or colder).
Don’t get overconfident with four-wheel drive. It helps you get going quicker but won’t help you stop any faster.
Don’t pump anti-lock brakes. The right way is to “stomp and steer.” Be patient with fellow drivers coming and going to the University, as we are all in this together.
Campus Parking Lots
In the event of a winter storm, the Physical Plant will be working throughout most of the night and day to try to eliminate the ice and snow from the roads and campus parking lots.
If possible, please remove your vehicle each night from the parking lot to promote the clearing of snow and ice. Vehicles left in lots often become entrapped by ice and snow drifts during winter storms.
Winter Walking Tips
While the Physical Plant strives to keep the roads and public walkways ice- and snow-free, climatic conditions in Northwest Missouri often make this a difficult task. Maintenance personnel perform daily checks during these conditions to review the freeze/thaw cycle and address any hazardous situations that may develop.
Physical Plant uses a variety of snowplows, tractors, de-icing materials and equipment to achieve this goal. By following established safety guidelines and being prepared, many accidents can be prevented.
Don’t assume because it looks clear that it is not slick.
Go slow on steps and stairs and use the handrails.
Wear boots or flexible shoes with grip soles. Slick leather or hard rubber soles on dress shoes are unsafe on ice.
Don’t walk with your hands in your pocket. This reduces your balance if you slip on the ice.
Take short to medium steps or shuffle your feet in very icy areas.
Don’t carry or swing heavy loads, such as large boxes or cases, which could cause you to lose your balance when walking.
If the walkway appears to be icy, temporarily step off into the grass and negotiate a path around the hazard.
Don’t step on uneven surfaces. Step well over or avoid curbs with ice on them.
Place your full attention on walking. Don’t allow your attention to be diverted by getting keys out of your pocket, digging into your pocketbook for items, etc., while walking on ice.
Don’t become complacent when you don’t see a lot of snow – one inch can be just as dangerous as six inches!
Stay aware, stay warm and stay safe!
