It’s no longer the winters it used to be. Yet the snow costs incurred by the Province have quadrupled in ten years. It is clear that a lot depends on the climate trend, especially on the number of snowfalls. But temperatures play an important role, not only in the mountains, but also in the plains. High humidity and mercury below freezing force men and vehicles to go out for silting operations on the 3,200 kilometers of provincial roads every night.
Analyzing expenses from 2016 onwards, every year, on average, the provincial body spends 7.1 million euros on winter street cleaning, reaching up to 10 million in particularly snowy winters like that of 2020/21. The data reveal how expenses are increasing, and not just due to a natural inflationary phenomenon or the increase in the cost of fuel or raw materials. Winters with anomalous trends play an important role.
The numbers confirm it. In 2014, the spring clearing of snow from the Lombarda and Agnello hills and from the Pian del Re road cost 30 thousand euros. This year we are already at 110 thousand euros.
«We are putting all our strength into play – explains the president of the Province Luca Robaldo – and we must thank all the roadmen, the provincial staff and those of the companies involved in the clearance operations because they do not skimp on energy. With our own strength we find ourselves managing hundreds of kilometers of Alpine passes and provincial roads above 2,000 metres, including a series of hills that guarantee the few cross-border connections. Years ago it probably snowed even more, but when spring arrived we only intervened once to remove the snow and open the roads. This year we closed Colle dell’Agnello on November 2nd and, at the end of May, we find ourselves faced with the situation of not knowing when it will be able to reopen.”
The spring snowfalls of the last two years force workers and companies to make multiple interventions. The cleaning operations of the Lombarda hill will cost 40 thousand euros, those of the Agnello 50 thousand and 20 thousand euros for snow clearing along the Pian del Re road, in the Po valley. Then maintenance will be necessary. The images arriving in recent days from the upper Po valley are shocking: the heavy and soaked spring snow, in sliding towards the valley, has practically most of the barriers and guard rails were torn down, also damaging the docks. Without safety measures, it will be difficult to allow the road to reopen.
