Snow Removal

Foundation Hall

Foundation Hall

During the winter months, our Grounds Crew has responsibility for snow and ice removal services. We continuously monitor weather forecasts of hazardous weather conditions from various services; however, freezing rain and other dangerous conditions are usually difficult to predict and experience has shown that a perfectly safe situation can turn treacherous in a matter of a few minutes. We are entirely committed to making the College’s sidewalks, paths, stairs and roadways as safe as possible during and after winter storms. To the maximum extent possible, we will attempt to anticipate problems and take necessary precautions. Our priority initially will be to make the pedestrian areas safe before we work on any areas for vehicular traffic.

If you encounter a problem area on campus that you believe requires our attention, we encourage you to report the problem to the Campus Operations Office at 718-390-3163 or submit a work order. Emergencies after hours or on weekends should be directed to Public Safety at the Main Booth 718-390-3148.

Each year, our snow/ice procedures are updated to reflect any changes in the College’s layout (new construction, parking lot closures, etc.) and our staff members participate in a variety of training sessions related to snow/ice removal (snow blower operation, shoveling techniques, proper ice melt application, etc.). This ensures the best possible service to the campus community during the snow/ice season.

Our Pre-winter inventory:

Rock salt: 25 tons (stored in our salt dome)
Calcium Chloride: 6.25 tons (stored in the Grounds Equipment Garage)

We provide the following specific services:

  • Salting as needed
  • Shoveling
  • Plowing
  • Modifications to Walkways During Winter Storms

Pre-treatment

Pretreatment (defined as the spreading of calcium chloride pellets) priority zones are as follows:

Priority Areas

  1. Residence Hall Entrances and associated stairways.
  2. Roads and sidewalks from Residence Halls and the Student Union
  3. The Student Union Plaza
  4. Roads and sidewalks from the Tiers Parking Lots
  5. Trautmann Square to Main Hall

Preparation on Campus

  • Union Plaza Tables are moved to one area.
  • Garbage Pails and Benches moved off sidewalks and pathways.
  • Cunard Loop and Parker Hall Parking Areas are closed to all vehicles.
  • Shuttle Vans are relocated to the Stadium Lot
  • All college owned vehicles are relocated to Spiro Lot.
  • Golf Carts are relocated to under the Student Union overhang.
  • All Security Gates and chained exits are opened once plowing begins.

Campus Shuttle Services may be affected by snow/ice storms. Email blasts will alert the college community of any changes in service, pick/drop off locations as well as public transportation changes.

Shoveling Operations

Sidewalks and Walkways

Snow removal efforts will commence for sidewalks and walkways when the snow reaches a depth of one-half inch. All walkways and sidewalks will be treated with calcium chloride Pellets. For heavier snows, accessible walkways and sidewalks will be plowed then salted.

Wagner College uses additional contractors to assist the Grounds Crew Staff during heavy periods of snow accumulation.

Equipment used: Shovels, manual push salt spreaders, walk behind snow blowers.

  • Campus Hall: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors, Receiving Dock.
  • Cunard Hall: All steps, entrance ways, paths around building.
  • Foundation Hall: All steps, entrance ways, patios, fire exit doors, loading dock and compactors
  • Guild Hall: All steps, entrance ways, patio, fire exit doors
  • Harborview Hall: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors, smoking enclosure, loading dock and compactors
  • Horrmann Library: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors and rear patio
  • Kairos House: All steps, entrance ways, paths
  • Lifelong Learning: All steps, entrance ways and paths.
  • Main Hall: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors, ramp, and oil fill area
  • Maintenance Shop: Entrance ways, garage bays, fire exit doors.
  • Megerle Science Hall: All steps, entrance ways, ramps, Spiro Communication Bridge, paths to Spiro parking lot.
  • Pape House: All steps, entrance ways, ramps, paths.
  • Parker Hall: All steps, entrance ways, Early Childhood Gazebo Area, paths.
  • Powerhouse: Entrance ways and paths
  • Public Safety: All steps, entrance ways and paths.
  • Reynolds House: All steps, entrance ways, ramp, porch, Coffeehouse path.
  • Spiro Communications: Entrance ways and paths.
  • Spiro Sports Center: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors and paths.
  • Stadium: Main entranceway by gate (non priority)
  • Stage One: Entrance way
  • Student Union: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors, ramps, compactors and loading dock and paths.
  • Towers Hall: All steps, entrance ways, fire exit doors, bridge, compactors and loading dock.
  • Tennis Courts: All steps and paths

Entrances to all facilities and all steps

Snow removal efforts will commence for building entrances and steps when snow reaches a depth of one-half inch. All entrances and steps will have calcium chloride applied. For heavier snows, entrances and steps will be shoveled then treated. (This list is not in priority order, as there are typically numerous teams working at multiple buildings simultaneously.)

Plowing Operations

Plowing operations on the campus are broken down into the following two zones:

(1) Truck Plowing Zones (2) Tractor Plowing Zones

Truck Plowing Zones: Parking Lots, Tiers 1, 2 & 3, Stadium Lot, President’s Lot, Foundation Lot, Spiro Lot, Stage 1 Lot, President’s Driveway, Provost’s Driveway, Cunard Loop, Kairos House Driveway, Service Road behind Student Union, Service Road to Harborview, Towers, Campus Operations and out to Campus Road, Con Ed Access Road, Lower Field Driveway and Parking Area

Tractor Plowing Zones: Expressway Service Road Sidewalks, Howard Avenue Sidewalks, Arlo Road Sidewalks, Main Hall Oval, Trautmann Square, all campus paths.

Snow removal efforts will commence when snow covers the road surface; rock salt will be applied. For heavier snowfalls, all roadways will be plowed then salted. Pre-treating of certain roadways is typically performed near to the time of the predicted storm. Areas typically pretreated include:

  1. Service Road behind Student Union
  2. Cunard Loop
  3. Lower Tier Hill

Our Snow Removal Equipment

A concerted effort has been made to enhance the snow & ice removal equipment. Our efforts have been quite successful and the following constitutes the current vehicles and equipment

  1. Medium Duty Dump Truck with plow
  2. Pick Up Truck with salter and plow
  3. Pick Up Truck with plow
  4. 4 X 4 RTU with salter and plow
  5. Small path machine with plow
  6. Medium Size Snow Blower
  7. Small light duty Snow Blower

Modifications to Walkways During Winter Storms

Please note that the following is a list of the areas where walking modifications may be made during winter storms.

If necessary, the areas indicated below will be closed until the snow stops and major areas are cleared.  In most cases, a small area will be cleared to allow access or alternate route utilized.

  1. Circular Path behind Pape House
  2. Diagonal Paths at Spiro Hall
  3. Campus Hall Duplicate Staircases
  4. Narrow Path between Cunard and Parker Hall (2)
  5. Overhang area and path behind Student Union

Expectations and Areas of Concern During and After Campus Recovery

The time period for restoring campus to full accessibility depends on the total accumulation. Campus Operations aims for the majority of our roads, sidewalks, paths and parking areas to be accessible two days after the snow fall ends. In order to meet this expectation outside contractors may be brought in to supplement our staffing.

Please remember that all of our efforts depend on the ability of our staff and contractors to be able to get themselves safely to the campus.

Staff and students who maintain a vehicle on campus should also be prepared. We recommend that everyone have a snow shovel and a small amount of calcium chloride in the trunk of their individual vehicle. Prior to any snow event all vehicles should be backed into parking spaces. Our team will make an effort to get as close to vehicles in the parking areas as possible. Please understand that due to slippage and possible damage to personal vehicles that we leave space between cleared paths and vehicles.