The University of Maine was established in 1865, a good 160 years ago. The campus has been in Maine for the entirety of its existence, as has the snow every winter. However, they have yet to discover snow removal.  Snow and ice can create dangerous driving and walking conditions. Proper removal reduces the risk of slips, trips and falls for pedestrians, and also helps decrease the likelihood of accidents for drivers by improving things like road traction.

Many students have cars on campus, thus the parking lots are typically full. I don’t think that should inhibit parking services from plowing. They’re allowed to instate a parking ban between November and May in certain lots because they need to be able to be plowed, but what about the student lots?

I’ve seen so many students get stuck in the snow, I’ve also seen them park in the crosswalks, specifically in the Steamlot parking lot, because nobody can see the lines to park there properly. Right now, if you were to walk to just one of the student lots, you would see snow piled in and around almost every single parking spot in that lot. 

Plowing a parking lot makes it safer by reducing ice buildup, improving visibility, preventing snow drifts and creating clear paths for vehicles and pedestrians. It would also lower the risk of accidents and injury, as well as help the school avoid liability by maintaining a safe environment for its students. 

There are so many places on campus that have had poor snow removal. Just pushing the snow to the side of a path is not the same as removing it. When the snow is simply pushed aside, it eventually melts, creating puddles, which then turn into ice. Having walking paths that are almost entirely icy is incredibly unsafe, not to mention inaccessible to some. 

Not everyone likes to walk outside in the cold, but I can say that almost everybody hates walking in the snow and slipping and falling in front of a bunch of people. I have seen so many people slip on campus this semester. I think that the University could contribute a little more money towards ensuring that the campus is safe for everyone.