フィンランド北部の 私たちの街オウルが示すように
自転車インフラの維持管理は 一年を通して可能です
北極圏の過酷な気候であってもです
意思あるところに よく維持管理された自転車道あり
やや珍しい合同契約の相手はー
オウル市と隣町のケンペレ それから州の道路管理局です
合同契約のおかげで 管理の質が市境で変わったりしません
以前は地域の最重要自転車ルートのうち 125kmをカバーする契約でした
成果が認められ 今は150kmになりました
ルートの多くは オウル中心部と周辺を結んでいます
他にも重要な環状ルートや 地区内ルートもあります
オウル地域の自転車道の総延長は 1,000kmをゆうに超えます
それらも当然ながら 高い品質で管理されます
昔ながらの積雪上限値は 今も存在します
加えていくつかの 品質上の約束事がありー
選定された業者は これを守ることになっています
約束事を守ればボーナスが出て 破るとペナルティが発生します
ペナルティはたいてい ボーナスの倍です
約束事は全部で 10項目あります
自分たちが整備するルートを 自転車で走るというのもその一つ
これまでのところ実施率は高く ボーナスが期待されます
これは除雪車ドライバーの本気度を 大きく向上させました
天候や路面のチェックに 排出ゼロの乗り物を使うのも約束事です
このエリアで使われるのは 自転車と電気自動車だけです
実際の除雪作業で使用するのも ユーロ6基準の車体とバイオ燃料のみ
約束事はまだまだあります
作業車が通った跡の 路面の品質もそうです
除雪板だけでなく 様々な機材を活用しています
and mostly do the work using their own workers and machines instead of subcontractors.
This also improves the contractor's dedication to the work.
How about the traditional snow depth limits?
They're really tight.
2cm of snowfall must be cleared within 3 hours.
And the depth of 4cm must not be reached, ever.
Not even during a snowfall, and not even for a second.
At night from 11PM to 5AM, the depth limits are slightly higher, but this doesn't really affect or benefit the contractor.
2cm limit basically means that when it's reached, the machine must have already started working earlier.
It is not enough to start the engines then, since there's only 3 hours' time to clear the whole network of 150km.
And many parts are so wide that they will need several plow rounds.
In a normal situation, it is never allowed to exceed the maximum depth of snow, which is 4cm.
And plowing measures should be scheduled so that 4cm never fills up.
The only exception to this is an exceptionally heavy snowfall, which means over 20cm of snow in 4 hours.
Which fortunately happens very rarely.
The contractor must have enough machinery and workers to keep the path conditions within the required limits even during a _____ snowfall.
After plowing they there must be no loose snow, slush, or snow banks on the surface that will interfere with bicycle traffic.
No snow lumps interfering with traffic nor making the path narrower can exist on the path.
The plowed surface must not steer the bicycle, meaning the plow teeth gap must be under 20mm.
Not toothless blade can be used, as it would make the surface too slippery.
And the surface must be also free of ripples.
Maximum thickness of the hardpacked snow layer is 5cm until mid March, and then 2cm until the end of April.
During preparation works for the spring the contractor must ensure that the hardpacked snow layer will be removed before the so-called spring time slush season begins.
In the visibility splay area of a crossing, which is within 5m from a crossing, the maximum height of snow banks is 50cm.
The contractor is responsible of removing any excess snow during the whole winter.
But what if the surface starts to get too slippery?
In the late autumn or late spring we can use a type of brine to prevent black ice, such as potassium formulate solution, which must be as environmentally friendly as possible.
No regular salt is allowed at all.
During actual winter we can add some sand or gravel or grit, but only if necessary.
Some cities use so-called killer gravel, crushed rock with very very sharp edges.
This kind of material is absolutely forbidden in our bike paths.
The material must not cause any damage to vehicles, including bicycle tires.
And let that sink in.
In the contract it says: no damages to bicycles tires is allowed.
The material we use is either a mixture of sand and natural gravel, or crushed rock with sharp edges removed so that it's friendly for bike tires and also animal paws.
Also we do not use overkill amounts of material and we use it only when it's needed.
In addition to this, all further friction materials must be approved by the client.
However, very often a surface grippy enough can be achieved by just mechanically plowing the surface with a densely toothed blade.
Here you can see different material combinations and amounts of material per area - 2 to 4 dl/m2.
Just a regular snow-covered surface properly plowed with good blades and machinery, even without extra friction material, can offer a perfectly good grip.
Thus, often we do not need sand or gravel or grit on the surface at all, and everyone is happy.
And here you can see an example of surface conditions that meet quality requirements.
An important change to a contractors work is that they are now doing customer service.
For the customers.
Residents of the city, not the city client.
Important part of this is active communication, which our current contractor Oulun Konetyö has done admirably.
In addition to the client, quality control is also done by voluntary winter maintenance "agents," who report the maintenance quality that they experienced on a weekly basis.
Depending on the grades they give, the contractor may receive significant bonuses or sanctions.
The contractor must also organize winter events at the bike paths 3 times a year.
They're giving out hot juice, snacks and collecting feedback directly from the users, meeting them face to face.
This is a great opportunity for ____ talks.
It is also important to pay attention to the plow blade.
A straight blade is absolutely forbidden, as it would not bite into the snow and it would produce too slippery of surface.
Instead we use a cut-apart toothed blade, where the distance between teeth must be under 20mm.
Hope you enjoyed this short video.
More detailed information about the winter maintenance contract and many other things, head on to masterclass.city. Thanks.