Snow Piles Reduce Parking Availability at Ohio State

Students face challenges finding spots as CampusParc works to clear campus lots

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A snowstorm on January 24 left Ohio State's campus covered in a foot of snow, and the clearing efforts by CampusParc have left large piles where parking spots used to be. About 10% of the university's 3,500 parking spots remain unusable due to the snow accumulation, forcing students to navigate the reduced availability and challenging conditions.

Why it matters

Parking is already limited on Ohio State's campus, and the recent snowstorm has exacerbated the problem, creating frustration for students who rely on driving to get to class and other activities. The situation highlights the logistical challenges universities face in maintaining accessibility during extreme weather events.

The details

CampusParc, the company that manages Ohio State's parking, is working with national snow removal vendors and an in-house team to clear priority areas like garages, entries, and exits. However, some students report difficulties finding adequate spots, especially where snow has piled up. In some cases, snow accumulation on parking garage rooftops must be hauled off campus to prevent exceeding structural weight limits, a time-consuming process.

  • On January 24, a snowstorm left Ohio State's campus covered in a foot of snow.
  • On January 27, many cars were blocked in by snowplows as CampusParc worked to remove the snow.

The players

Keith Palma

The executive director of business operations for CampusParc, the company that manages Ohio State's parking.

Aiden Vaught

A second-year political science student at Ohio State who has faced challenges with parking due to the snow.

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What they’re saying

“Finding adequate spots, pulling my old 2005 car into the spots over the snow, and pulling out afterward was a real challenge. Columbus was clearly not ready to handle the snow, and it shows in the difficulty I and many others have had in parking.”

— Aiden Vaught, Second-year political science student (thelantern.com)

“We definitely pull back [enforcement] during winter weather events, and then the days that follow those weather events. Once it is clear, then we go back to normal operations. But we do try to do it from an educational standpoint.”

— Keith Palma, Executive director of business operations, CampusParc (thelantern.com)

What’s next

CampusParc will continue to work on clearing the remaining snow piles from campus parking lots, with the goal of restoring full parking availability as soon as possible.

The takeaway

The snow-related parking challenges at Ohio State highlight the logistical difficulties universities face in maintaining accessibility during extreme weather events. The situation underscores the need for comprehensive winter weather preparedness plans and the importance of clear communication with students about parking conditions and enforcement policies.