Autostrada Wielkopolska ready for winter

41 salt spreaders, 200 of maintenance department employees of Autostrada Eksplotacja-, the operator of the A2 Świecko – Konin concession section and almost 13.5 thousand tons of salt in 5 warehouses situated along Autostrada Motorway are ready to commence winter maintenance campaign. Readiness for winter has been mandatory since 1 November.

In addition to equipment and people ready to take immediate action and take salt sprayers to the motorway as soon as possible, Autostrada Eksploatacja relies on detailed weather forecasts commissioned to be compared on an ongoing basis with read-outs of its own weather stations located along the entire 256 km section of the concession motorway, and matched with the information obtained from motorway patrols.

In accordance with the applicable procedures, the full readiness means that not only the equipment, but also the employees are ready for winter. Every day over 100 employees in 5 Operation and Maintenance Centers located along Autostrada Wielkopolska from Świecko to Konin are prepared to take immediate action – explains Włodzimierz Matczak, director of the Motorway Operation at Autostrada Eksploatacja.

The first stage of winter maintenance is in force on motorways in Poland. This means that the equipment must be on the track within half an hour after the snowfall begins. The motorway carriageway must be cleared of snow within 2 hours from the end of snowfall during the day and within 4 hours from the end of precipitation at night. That is why it is so important to secure the cast on ready-to-go equipment.

To carry out preventive and combat actions on motorways, we use road salt with a water solution of sodium chloride, and with calcium chloride when the temperature falls below -7° C. Such mixture allows for quickly removing snow remaining on the road and ensuring maximum safety for travelers on Autostrada Wielkopolska. In case 13.5 thousand tons of salt stored in the warehouses are not sufficient, additional emergency salt deliveries for Autostrada Eksploatacja will be launched – adds W. Matczak.

Not only road maintenance service, but also motorway drivers have to prepare for winter. How to prepare? Drivers should use winter tires, replace the washer fluid with a winter one, and take a thermos with a hot drink. We advise to pack a warm blanket in the trunk, and have one inside the car, when going on a longer trip. Prepared in this way, drivers will not get cold if stuck on the road due to a snowstorm.

During very intense snowfall and significantly reduced visibility, better not take the risk and go to the nearest parking lot to safely wait for the weather to improve – recommends Paweł Pytliński, safety expert at Autostrada Eksploatacja.

He also points out that salt spreaders working on the road should not be overtaken under any circumstances.

Overtaking salt spreaders is very risky. Snow coming out from under the plows not only can damage the car, but also push it off the road. The plows of the salt spreaders have a span of up to 8 meters. In addition, you need to be aware that the road in front of the salt spray is not snow-free and driving on it may be dangerous – warns Paweł Pytliński.