Massachusetts Row became an ice rink. Students stumbled across the Green. Webster Avenue threatened to trip any who braved its slick sidewalks. Though Campus Planning and Facilities has used 515 tons of salt in de-icing efforts so far this winter, more than double the amount used by this time last year, the season’s weather has made it more difficult than usual to ensure safe walking conditions, said campus planning and facilities labor shop supervisor Greg Frost, adding that this is the worst winter he has witnessed in the past 20 years.
In December, temperatures in northern New England ranged from 2 to 8 degrees below the 1981-2010 average, according to a report by the New Hampshire State Climate Office. When winter storm Hercules hit Hanover two weeks ago, it deposited between six and eight inches of snow. Last week, some areas of the state saw wind chills of around 60 degrees below zero.
Several students who ventured onto the College’s icy walkways in the past week fell and sustained injuries. Others have taken to walking around campus with extreme caution, adjusting their daily routines to avoid endangering themselves.
“I was not going to go out again after almost dying three times on the way back from class,” said Angela Noppenberger ’17, adding that she chose to stay inside with several of her friends one night last weekend. The group ordered delivery, rather than go out to eat.
Gina Greenwalt ’14 said she has developed a new tactic of walking with friends to avoid falling alone.
“I have blitzed out to friends several times before going somewhere asking them to travel with me,” she said.
Several students interviewed said they have begun allocating more travel time to account for navigating through the slush.
Stylianos Tegas ’17 said the ice, which has slowed him down, made arriving to his back-to-back classes on time a challenge.
In addition to the over 500 tons of salt used by Campus Planning and Facilities, Facilities, Operations and Management has distributed 34 tons of a blended ice melt product to improve conditions on sidewalks, pathways and stairs across campus, said David DiBenedetto, campus planning and facilities grounds shop supervisor.
The ice melt product, composed of potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and calcium salts, is considered to be more environmentally friendly than traditional salt. When temperatures are too low, however, the College cannot use ice melt products exclusively, as they do not function properly in the severe cold over long periods of time, said facilities and grounds services director Gary Hill.
Facilities, Operations and Management has also covered 75 yards of campus with manufactured sand to provide traction. Rain often washes the product away, however, and the ground re-freezes, creating treacherous walking conditions, Hill said.
“Our goal is to provide a clean, safe environment with as little disruption as possible, and weather like this makes it really difficult,” he said.
In the past few years, the office has invested in about $250,000 of new heavy-duty machinery, such as sanders and other de-icing equipment.
The Town of Hanover maintains several key avenues on campus including Webster Avenue, College Street, Wheelock Street and Main Street, which are not under the jurisdiction of Facilities, Operations and Management, Hill said.
Hill stressed the importance of wearing proper footwear during inclement weather to avoid injury.
Safety and Security director Harry Kinne said he has seen an increase in weather-related injuries and accidents this winter, primarily because of dangerous walking conditions.
“Still, ice-related injuries are not atypical, especially in an outdoors place like Dartmouth,” he added.
Saturday morning, Safety and Security officers responded to a call after a College sidewalk plow skidded on the ice and struck a vehicle in the parking lot. Later that day, a College staff member called Safety and Security for help in reporting a vehicle that had slipped into a snow bank in Norwich. No injuries occurred.
Students from regions with climates similar to that of Hanover said they were not bothered by the ice hazard.
“I think that most of the people who have fallen are simply not used to weather like this,” said Thomas Baker ’17, an Alaskan native.
