Since Dec. 1, 68.6 inches of snow, 34 inches more than normal, have fallen on the Bangor area. Multiply that by the 4.3 million square feet of paved surface on the University of Maine campus and that’s an incredible amount of snow with which Facilities Management has to contend.

Moving that much snow is a Herculean task in and of itself, but Facilities Management also has to contend with students and faculty moving around campus on foot and in cars.

Weather is mercurial, as has been proven by the tumultuous past few weeks’ period of showers turning to major storms, predicted blizzards dissipating, buffeting winds, and the almost ever-present threat of snow in the forecast.

In light of all this, Facilities Management really deserves a commendation for the work they’ve done in keeping the campus thoroughfares clear.

Not only has the Bangor area experienced a lot of snow, but conditions have changed almost daily. On days when it isn’t snowing, winds shift drifts around, often back onto roads and sidewalks. Parking lots also convey the unique challenging of moving the accumulation without doing damage to cars that, recently, have been fairly deeply buried.

In short, keeping the campus clear is a messy, demanding job. Sure, there have been a few days where the sidewalks have been a little snowy, the parking lots had drifts and the roads were slick, but the paved areas of campus have remained navigable.

At almost all hours of the day, Facilities Management is working to clear snow as well as to sand and salt the roads and sidewalks. The sheer volume that has fallen recently certainly doesn’t speed up the process. Nor do weather conditions that change in real time as snow removal is ongoing.

And it’s not as if Facilities Management stops all its other operations to focus on moving snow. They still must complete the other tasks that fall within the purview of their department, including maintaining infrastructure, responding to event requests and moving indoor equipment to different parts of campus.

While it can be frustrating to be impeded in the trek across campus as temperatures remain in the teens and single digits by the vehicles used in moving the snow, patience is important.

The massive amount of snow and area to clear necessitate sophisticated machinery. And if conditions are slippery to walk in, they are equally hazardous for vehicles to traverse. Decreased traction and force make moving on snowy surfaces unpredictable, as anyone who drives in the state knows.

Emotionalism is not going to aid in clearing the campus. Some member of Facilities Management have recently spent as much as 20 hours a day removing snow.

And, all things considered, they’ve done so efficiently. If snow falls during the day, unless the precipitation continues or conditions worsen, the roads and sidewalks are usually clear by the next morning, which is a pretty quick turnaround considering the sheer amount of space they have to take care of.