Mounds of snow might be fun on the Quad, but on the road, snow is a nuisance.

As winter approaches, snow and ice are expected on the streets of Urbana-Champaign. Every day employees are working to ensure that streets are clean, drivers are safe and accidents are kept to a minimum.

University Facilities and Services places salt brine on the streets prior to snowfall, said Brad Craven, transportation automotive subforeman. They also pre-treat, or pre-wet, parking lots and driveways on campus, he said.

"It keeps (ice or snow) from freezing to the roads," Craven said.

This year, the University is trying to pre-treat the streets more aggressively before the snow hits, said Ron Burwell, transportation automotive foreman. The bulk of the snow removal is done between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m., and the first areas taken care of are First and Fourth streets in Champaign and Lincoln Avenue in Urbana, Burwell said.

Pre-wetting salt — also known as salt brine — has become more common because it is inexpensive, Craven said. The approximate cost of the salt is one-tenth that of rock salt, an alternative method used on Illinois highways by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and cost about $31 per ton.

Craven said salt brine was not as likely to bounce or be blown off the road by cars. However, it is re-applied whenever and wherever needed.

Joe Hill, engineer of operation for IDOT, said salt gave more traction to cars on the road. Before 1950, highways were not salted, he said, and since then IDOT has been using this de-icing chemical. Hill said he felt it was worth the money.

Although University services gauge when to de-ice the roads by watching the weather reports, Hill said IDOT hired two consulting firms that notify it about the weather. Hill and other workers also keep their eyes on the weather to see when snow will be coming.

"We've become weather junkies," Hill said.

The consulting firms call counties two to three hours before snowfall. Eventually the news spreads to the snowplowers, who are expected to report to a location within 45 minutes of the call.

"It's like a calling tree," Hill said. "Weather changes so much from year to year."

IDOT has a "bare pavement policy" that states that they will work 24-7 until all the snow is gone, Hill said.

"We're out in the blizzards," Hill said. "It's very unusual for us to stop."

In 1976, Chicago had 60 inches of snow, and Springfield received 42 inches, Hill recalled. He said they were plowing from Thanksgiving until Easter.

Hill said people had not transitioned into winter driving, and that people needed to be prepared.

"Be careful when you drive in the snow," Hill advised.

Hill also recommended that people carry extra clothes, a cell phone, blankets and jumper cables in their cars, and that drivers be careful while driving around snow plows. Drivers usually run snow plows at 35 mph while everyone else is going 60 mph or more, he said.

Students driving on campus have their own qualms about winter situations.

"The roads are usually OK, but it's hard to drive with a lot of pedestrians — especially in the winter when weather conditions prohibit the driver from braking quickly," said Stefanie Dyer, sophomore in LAS.

With snow events becoming more frequent during the winter months, employers try to ensure staff availability.

Many employees are retiring and replacements are not being hired, Craven said.

This leaves the staff short-handed, Burwell said.

"It's going to require each individual to work more hours," Burwell said.

Workers are required to have a class B CDL, which is a specialized license for drivers with vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds. Employees are trained to work with the plows and maneuver around tricky areas, such as railroads or bridges.