LANDSCAPE SERVICES CREWS BATTLE ICE (by Bob Brooks, Campus & Facilities Planning, Associate Director for Landscape Services, 12/07)

While many of us slept early Tuesday morning December 11, Landscape Services crews were braving the rapidly deteriorating road conditions to find their way to campus and begin the daunting task of removing ice and slush from 31 miles of streets and 36 miles of sidewalks.  By 1:00 a.m. road crews were busy salting and sanding institutional roads. 

At that early time of the day maintaining safe access to University Hospitals and Clinics is a priority. By 4:00 a.m. crews were out working on sidewalks beginning to make their rounds in an effort to have surfaces as safe as possible by 7:00 a.m.  In spite of afternoon and evening classes being cancelled Tuesday, some of the crew stayed on campus until about 7:00 p.m. to continue the battle against the ice.  Many already knew they were going home to houses without electricity and would be facing a short night before reporting back at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning to continue their work.

 

Since the storm began, crews have applied about 75 tons of salt and 75 tons of sand to streets, drives and walks.  An additional four tons of calcium chloride was applied to areas directly around building entrances.

 

As many have witnessed, the ice storm was particularly hard on the campus trees.  Andy Dahl, campus arborist, indicates that only two trees were immediate victims of the heavy ice.  So far, he and arborist Mike Rhinehart, have found 12 - 15 other trees that have sustained significant damage. These trees will be evaluated further to determine whether the damage sustained is severe enough to warrant removal. 

One very noticeable tree that has again been victim to weather related damage is the large old European Larch on the east side of the Pentacrest.  This tree sustained damage in the 2006 tornado and additional damage in the February 2007 ice storm.  Once damaged limbs from this year’s ice storm are removed we will be better able to evaluate the overall condition and determine whether the tree can remain.