Winter service
So that Graz residents do not have to worry about icy roads, our winter road clearance team are out and about tirelessly. The goal is to ensure maximum safety on the roads, squares, pavements and cycle paths at all times.
Our winter road clearance
The differentiated winter road clearance: The goal is to ensure maximum safety on the roads, squares, pavements and cycle paths at all times whilst at the same time reducing the pollution with particulate matter caused by the grit.
The “magic word” for this work of art is “differentiated winter road clearance”. The trigger for the introduction of this concept was the dramatic pollution with particulate matter in the city which was attributed to, amongst other things, the grit ground by car tyres on the roads. “Differentiated” means that the use of resources in the battle against snow is based on the weather conditions but primarily on the importance of the respective road for the flow of traffic.
The clearance of the main transit roads and of the Graz Linien railway network followed by the mountain roads has the greatest priority. Only then are ancillary roads, access routes to residential areas, and cycle paths cleared of snow.
Depending on the temperature, low volumes of snow are combated with grit; clearance vehicles are only used from a snow depth of a few centimetres as otherwise the ploughs and roads would be damaged.
How we work
- A maximum of 76 vehicles of different sizes are in operation
- 130 people are on duty at any time
- 70 additional people can be activated
- We have 5,000 t of basalt grit and 2,600 t of salt in stock
- We use the wet salt technology FS30
- We look after 950 km of roads & 125 km of cycle paths
- We use grit on mountain roads, pavements & cycle paths
- We remove up to 30 m³ of snow
- We use up to 5,263 tonnes of salt
- We spread up to 1,205 tonnes of grit
Obligations for private individuals
Home owners are obligated to clear snow on pavements. The roofs also have to be cleared of overhangs of snow and ice.
Owners of properties in local areas are obligated to clear snow and contamination from sidewalks, pavements and steps along their property in the time between 6 am and 10 pm and if necessary, to spread grid. If there is no pavement, the edge of the road must be cleared of snow and ice in a width of one metre.
Overhangs of snow and ice formations must also be removed from the roofs. The installation of warning signs or bars leaned against the wall of the house merely constitute an emergency measure. Neglecting these obligations can be expensive. Notifications of omission will be prosecuted pursuant to Section 93 of the Road Traffic Regulation with an administrative fine of €72; suits for compensation after accident could entail considerably higher costs. In this case, the property owner or its agent commissioned with clearing snow could face a charge of negligent physical injury.