Comparison Of Winter Maintenance Requirements (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

Three Baltic states are located next to each other on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Similarly, to Finland, density of population in these countries is low. All three countries have large amount of state roads with low traffic intensity.

Climatic differences are minimal. Milder climate is in coastal area but inland the weather conditions are more severe. The average air temperature in January in Estonia is from -2 to -7 degrees Celsius but in Lithuania from -1 to -5 degrees Celsius. The number of snowy days fluctuates from 50 to 120.

All three countries have common contracts for summer and winter maintenance where the responsibility for maintenance activities lays on the contractors. Despite common history the methods of the assignment of road maintenance contracts are different in every country. Estonia awards contracts in open tenders and has performance-based contracts. Latvia has the contract awarded to the State Joint Stock Company «Latvijas autoceļu uzturētājs» ("Latvian Road Maintainer") by law and the contract is unit price based. Lithuania has the contract awarded to the state-owned company « Kelių priežiūra» the contract is performance-based.

The requirements for road conditions are quite similar in all three countries. They have three levels of maintenance.

High service level means snow and ice-free surface of the road pavement during winter in constant weather conditions and quick response in case of worsening road conditions.

Medium service level means that snow and ice is allowed on the surface, but activities must be undertaken to improve skid resistance. The lowest service level means that snow and ice is allowed on the surface and activities to improve skid resistance (mostly only snow cleaning) may be undertaken in some spots only.

In Estonia the expenses for winter maintenance are lower than in the neighbouring countries but it does not have impact on traffic safety during winter.