Vehicular flow Road congestion Auto gridlock - approximate 15 million euros needed for winter maintenance in northern regions
Last winter, the Landesbetrieb für Straßenbau und Verkehr (LBV) invested approximately 15 million euros in creating slip-resistant streets and bike paths in Schleswig-Holstein. LBV's assistant director, Frank Quirmbach, said on Monday that they had navigated traffic participants through the Schleswig-Holstein region effectively during the winter season. For the upcoming 2022/2023 winter service, the LBV spent around 7.9 million euros.
About 500 road and cycle path workers systematically dispersed 26,400 tons of salt and 10,800 tons of brine across the region. In total, they dedicated 32,600 hours to this effort. There were 89 LBV vehicles and 207 private contractor vehicles deployed. The cost of the salt was 2.3 million euros, while the brine cost over a million euros. Additionally, 210,000 euros were allocated for safety and snow signs. Other operational expenses, such as vehicle and equipment deployment and labor costs, reached 7.3 million euros.
Despite having a short snow season, the workers were kept very busy. According to Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU), the cold mornings contributed to many extreme frost-thaw cycles, which, in turn, caused significant damage to the roads. To address these damages, the winter service deployed about 1,700 tons of cold mix during the season.
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The LBV's winter maintenance efforts also involved maintaining slip-resistant roads for various vehicles, including cars and cyclists, ensuring safe traffic flow in Schleswig-Holstein. Due to the harsh winter conditions, the LBV also provides winter service for cycle paths to ensure they remain usable for commuters. Despite the short snow season, the need for winter service remains crucial to prevent further damage to the roads and ensure smooth traffic in Schleswig-Holstein.
