With winter weather quickly approaching, Penn State and State College Borough officials are preparing for the snowy months ahead.

Paul Ruskin, Office of Physical Plant (OPP) spokesman, said the university begins planning for winter weather in August and has an average budget of about $500,000.

Additionally, 146 employees work when snowfall hits the area, clearing all the sidewalks, roads and doorways, and distributing anti-skid material.

"We found that people are upset about winter, but relatively happy about the way we clear the snow," he said.

Ruskin said the three crews that clear the university property try to clean all the roads, sidewalks and doorways before classes start in the morning, but that it is often impossible to cover the entire campus.

"The major complaint we get is people who want their spot cleared first," he said.

However, Ruskin said loading docks to the dorms, areas used by handicapped students and fire hydrants are among the first areas cleared.

"There's a whole list of things that are critical," he said.

OPP orders about 100 tons of anti-skid material for the winter months and clears 14,000 parking spaces and 32 miles of road.

Steve Chizmar, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman, said the state has already stockpiled 500,000 tons of salt, which is distributed throughout the counties.

"We know based on past history how much salt we'll need," Chizmar said.

However, despite months of preparation, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation still receives complaints from residents whose roads were not immediately cleared.

Chizmar said interstates and limited access highways are always cleared before lesser-used roads.

"They're not going to receive a lower standard of care," he said.

Officer Tony Lopinsky of the State College Police Department said the number of car accidents generally increases in the winter because of bad road conditions.

He also said it often takes drivers a little bit of time to adjust to driving in the snow.

"It takes people about a week during the first snow to adjust," he said.

"It's like a re-education when the first snow comes," he added. "People still drive down the hill at 25 miles an hour and don't realize until they hit the brakes that they need to slow down."

Ruskin also said he urges students to take precautions when walking and driving through snowy weather.

"I would have the right protective gear for campus," he said.

"For driving, you should remember that the speed limit is 15 miles per hour," he added.