Josh Imhof | features editor

As Duquesne students returned to campus on Tuesday, they were met with slushy roads and 5-foot snowbanks. The conditions were a result of a near record-setting snowstorm that dropped 11.2 inches of snow on the area in 24 hours.

No storm has dropped that much snow in Pittsburgh since Feb. 5, 2010, the day of the “Snowmageddon,” according to the National Weather Service. That day saw 11.4 inches in a 24-hour period.

This week’s storm caused major disruptions to transportation and left many Pittsburgh residents unable to leave their homes. As a result, Duquesne and many other local universities switched to remote learning on Monday.

City-owned salt trucks and snow plows worked to keep Pittsburgh roads clear Sunday night into Monday morning. However, they ran into a roadblock when 37 of their 95 vehicles broke down, causing Mayor Corey O’Connor to declare a state of emergency for the city. This allowed him to call in additional support from outside contractors to treat roads.

On Tuesday, O’Connor announced that more than 20 of the trucks had been repaired, and that he would work to address the issue in the future.

“I think it’s good, once this is all over, get all division leaders in our office with Department of Public Works and talk about missteps, how we could do better, what’s more efficient,” O’Connor told The Duke.

On Tuesday, the university announced it would be continuing in-person classes throughout the remainder of the week, while also reiterating that students had the option to attend class remotely.

Gabriel Welsch, vice president of marketing and communications, said facilities Management and Public Safety consult on weather and safety conditions and provide data to leadership such as Senior Vice President of Student Life Leanna Fenneberg and Provost David Dausey. They then make a final decision with Duquesne President Ken Gormley.

Kristen Spirl, supervisor for the grounds department, said the grounds staff has been preparing since Jan. 21 by checking equipment and replenishing salt supplies.

“As conditions improve, facilities will continue working on clearing roads and parking areas, relocating snow piles and treating walkways so campus remains as safe and accessible as possible for our community,” Spirl said.

Although campus was open, some students struggled getting to the Bluff.

“I live about a mile or so from the bus stop, so it was walking on icy roads, hoping that no cars came by, then climbing over a snow bank while the snowplow was actively making it,” said Trace Kellman, a junior environmental science major.

Kellman commutes from Monroeville and said he would have preferred remote classes for the day because of the freezing temperatures and unplowed roads.

In a school-wide announcement sent out on Monday, the university notified students of a return to in-person classes. The university noted that faculty and staff were “aware that special circumstances may exist in certain instances that warrant flexibility to deal with those circumstances.”

For some students, like senior Madison McBreairty, these circumstances meant having to dig out her boyfriend’s car in order to get to school.

“Even trying to get out after we shoveled it, it was nearly impossible to get his car out to come back to campus to go to class today,” she said.

Most of her classes moved online on Tuesday, and she said she did not plan on staying on campus after completing her in-person ones.

“I’m doing my classes here, and then I’m planning on going right back home,” McBreairty said.

Despite the difficulties getting to Duquesne, most of the sidewalks and roads on campus had been treated.

Dominic Jeziorowski, senior fleet associate at Zipcar, said the company’s leased spots on campus were effectively taken care of.

“It’s really good conditions,” he said. “[Facilities] have done a great job here clearing the roads.”

Eliyahu Gasson contributed to this report.

Josh Imhof can be reached at imhofj@duq.edu