Winter Service Fleet in Lower Austria Strengthened

The road services in Lower Austria and Burgenland are prepared for winter driving conditions. On busy days during the cold season, up to 1,500 employees are required simultaneously in Lower Austria, according to a release on Friday. In the Burgenland construction directorate, around 300 employees are deployed in winter service across the state - as was the case on Friday, when it lightly snowed in the state capital, among other places.

Reinforcement of Winter Service Fleet in Lower Austria

The winter service fleet in Lower Austria has been reinforced again, announced Transport Provincial Councilor Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) in a release: "In addition to the over 600 vehicles, 23 new trucks, 36 snow plows, and 25 modern salt spreaders have been acquired this year." In an average winter season, 650,000 working hours are performed. The switch from grit to salt spreading is continuing at full speed: Currently, 71,000 tons of de-icing salt are stored in 54 halls and 113 silos, with an additional 80,000 tons of grit ready. 700 kilometers of snow fences and 500,000 snow poles provide orientation and safety.

Modern weather and traffic systems - including 49 video and sensor installations as well as around 150 automated forecast points - enable precise deployment planning, it was emphasized. "The Lower Austria road service appeals to all road users to adjust their driving behavior to winter conditions, maintain sufficient distance, be particularly cautious on bridges and forest sections, and pay attention to appropriate winter equipment," said Deputy Road Construction Director Rainer Irschik.

Numerous Kilometers of Road Network in Burgenland

In Burgenland, over 3,700 kilometers of road network need to be maintained. Around 200 of the 300 winter service employees are deployment drivers, it was stated in a release. In the past season 2024/25, 3,401 tons of salt were applied.

In Burgenland, preventive spreading with moist salt is increasingly used, as it has proven effective both in extreme winter conditions and in everyday operations. By applying a thin film of salt before snowfall, it can prevent the snow from bonding with the road surface. This keeps the roads clear longer and makes the snow easier to clear. The salt storage capacities of the Burgenland construction directorate are around 9,000 tons. In addition to technical preparation, around 60,000 snow poles are set up on state roads annually. To prevent snow drifts, 20,000 snow walls are also used.

While winters are becoming milder overall and precipitation amounts are decreasing, short-term extreme events with heavy snowfall are significantly increasing, it was stated. "These developments necessitate ongoing development and modernization of winter service - both technically and organizationally," explained Provincial Councilor Heinrich Dorner (SPÖ). In the winter of 2024/25, eleven snowfall days and 116 winter service deployment days were recorded. 192 tons of grit were applied as well as 2.16 million liters of brine.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.