Nearly six inches of snow fell in Madison last weekend, causing the city to declare a snow emergency Sunday in the area of the city that includes the UW-Madison campus.
George Dreckmann, spokesperson for Madison's Department of Public Works, said snow emergencies are not rare occurrences in Madison, adding the last time one was declared was in February 2006.
Students and residents must obey the alternate side parking restrictions on campus-area streets during snow emergencies, but Dreckmann said not many Madisonians have followed the rules. He said numerous $20 fines for cars parked illegally have been handed out thus far, adding that most fines could have been avoided.
""Take a look outside at the street and see that hardly anything has been plowed,"" Dreckmann said. ""You probably lose a third of the parking spaces because the snow just piles up.""
People who cannot find a parking spot on the streets can turn to city ramps. During declared snow emergencies, anyone can park in city ramps from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. free of charge, according to a statement released by the city. The snow emergency was scheduled to last until at least 7 a.m. this morning.
