While University of Maryland students hunkered down in dorms Friday to prepare for Winter Storm Jonas, university staff members bundled up to dust off the snowplows.
The storm hit right before spring move-in — a “unique” time for the university’s staff and students, said Armand Scala, Department of Transportation Services senior associate director.
“I don’t think we’ve ever dealt with a snowstorm hitting right when students are coming back to campus, so that’s been something we’ve been dealing with that’s very unique,” Scala said. “In our case, we’re having to use our Bobcats in front of our plow to move snow because the snow is so heavy.”
DOTS, Residential Facilities and University Recreation and Wellness teamed up to supply most of the equipment and staff necessary to clear the 19 inches of snow, said Bill Monan, associate director of landscape, arboretum and horticultural services.
Monan’s staff of 42 arrived Friday morning and has worked 12-hour shifts ever since to shovel steps and sidewalks. Additionally, 10 employees worked through the night and 40 contract laborers rotated throughout the day. In preparation for the university’s reopening Wednesday, about 150 employees were assigned to buildings around the campus to treat sidewalks with ice melt and remove snow and ice from ramps and steps.
DOTS also urged students and other parking registrants to move their vehicles to on-campus parking garages so Facilities Management staff could plow the snow more efficiently.
DOTS Director David Allen said clearing the snow from parking lots is necessary for the university to reopen.
“The part that’s the most pressure-packed is, ‘How am I going to get to school? Where am I going to be able to park? What’s going to be available?'” Allen said. “It’s important that people keep up with our Twitter feed and Facebook page so they can know what’s going on with parking and what’s going on with the shuttle system.”
There is usually no Shuttle-UM service when the university is closed, but this week was an exception, Allen said. Shuttle-UM ran on a Sunday schedule Monday and Tuesday and included on-campus circulation routes.
“We’re sure we’re going to see a number of students trying to get back to campus using Metro, so we placed an additional bus on there [Tuesday] morning,” Scala said.
