Winter Road Maintenance in Schleswig-Holstein Costs a Cool 7.4 Million Euros
Winter maintenance expenses amounted to 7.4 million euros - Winter maintenance expenses amounted to 7.4 million euros
Let's talk about the winter season in Schleswig-Holstein and the hefty price tag that comes with keeping the roads and cycle paths slip-resistant. The Authority for Road Construction and Traffic (LBV) shelled out around 7.4 million euros for the task, with the bill cutting in half from the previous season's 15 million euros thanks to the mild winter.
Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) and LBV Director Frank Quirmbach applauded their 515 road maintenance workers and auxiliary staff, who managed to navigate road users through Schleswig-Holstein during this frigid winter season. Despite few snowy days, the early morning freezing rain kept the crew on their toes. In total, they spread 15,700 tons of salt and around 5,700 tons of salt brine, with a whopping 15,135 hours of work dedicated to the effort.
264 Vehicles in Service
The LBV deployed 100 vehicles of their own, while an additional 164 vehicles were dispatched by private providers. The bill for salt and brine came to around 2 million euros. The cost of using spreading vehicles and equipment, plus operational costs, added another 2.9 million euros. The labor hours were valued at 645,000 euros, and external companies picked up 1.9 million euros.
In the 2023/2024 winter season, they consumed approximately 26,400 tons of salt and 10,800 tons of brine.
Extra Insights into Winter Road Maintenance Costs
Winter road maintenance costs are typically made up of several key components:
- Labor Costs: Wages for employees and contractors responsible for snow clearance, ice removal, and road repairs.
- Material Costs: Expenses for salt, sand, salt-brine, and other substances used to maintain traction on roads and bike paths.
- Equipment, Maintenance, and External Company Costs: The hiring of external companies for specialized tasks, equipment maintenance, and fuel are all factors.
Although exact cost percentages in Schleswig-Holstein are not publicly available, it's fair to say that the regional authorities are in charge of road and bike path maintenance, with winter seeing increased expenses to ensure safety. You might find more specific figures on labor, materials, and external company costs by carefully scouring municipal or state budget documents, reports from the road maintenance authorities, procurement and tender documents, or public works department disclosures. Happy hunting!
- To further support the community and foster economic growth, broadening the scope of discussed policies could include aid for the development of the fisheries sector, working in tandem with the established fisheries policy to bolster the region's fishing industry.
- As we assess public expenditure in Schleswig-Holstein, additional financial consideration could be given to industries such as transportation and fisheries, just as winter road maintenance funds demonstrate the importance of budgeting for critical infrastructure needs.
