The winter operations of the State Motorway Management Company Ltd. (SMMC) are geared towards maintaining a safe and continuous flow of traffic, even in extreme weather. This year, SMMC started its preparations for this period, which usually runs from the beginning of November to the middle of March, back in April. During the final phase of the preparations, an inspection of equipment at all of its 15 engineering bureaus will be carried out in the first half of November.
In the framework of its winter operations, SMMC’s employees look after de-icing and clearing snow from approximately 708.5 km of motorway and 216.6 km of highways, as well as 391.1 km of junction approach roads and roads leading to motorway service areas. Their work is facilitated by motorway equipment supporting winter operations, regular road monitoring, permanent engineering services and the necessary machinery and equipment, as well as fully developed and well-proven technologies and work organisation techniques.
In order to make motorways suitable for safe winter operations, SMMC’s experts have eliminated road surface and road embankment defects, provided for the repair services and replacement of road infrastructure (in particular light-reflecting elements), removed any vegetation that could potentially cause snowdrifts, and put new snow fences in place. SMMC’s employees involved in winter operations carry out their activities on the basis of the detailed Winter Operating Regulations. Work and operations are coordinated by duty managers, who work alongside a 24-hour dispatch service. During the winter operations period, the Company works in close cooperation with the appropriate authorities, including the Police, Disaster Relief, the Fire Brigade, ambulance services, ÚTINFORM, and other road operators.
During winter operations, SMMC also fully complies with the requirements set forth in the National Road Management Regulations. The Regulations provide that anti-skid treatment should commence within 0.5 to 1 hours of detection and be completed in 2 to 4 hours in average winter conditions. SMMC’s Winter Operating Regulations specify four grades of intervention for the elimination of any irregularity caused by the weather. Each grade represents a different level of readiness in terms of the human resources and machinery to be deployed. The successive levels of intervention are primarily dependent on the temperature and the risk of icing, as well as the heaviness of any snowfall.
The SMMC Ltd. begins preparing its fleet and machinery already in March. Currently the Company owns 122 vehicles (8 to 10 in average at every engineering bureau) which actively take part in winter operations. The first step is corrosion removal from these vehicles and from the related tools, as well as the inspection for any possible damage. The intensive preparation of the machines is then begun at the end of August, and continues until the machine inspection routine is performed at the end of October or the beginning of November. Within this procedure, experts check that the machines are in an appropriate condition, corrosion protection has been carried out, and the equipment supporting winter road operations functions properly.
Materials used for de-icing (road salt, calcium chloride flakes etc.) and other accessories (snowploughs, slush-clearing blades etc.) have been purchased. An amount of salt according to the average use of last years is stored in the depots of SMMC engineering bureaus. In the last period approximately 25,000 tons of salt were used for de-icing per year on the road network operated by the Company.
The efficiency of winter interventions is highly dependent on the reliability of the weather forecasts available to road operators. SMMC obtains its meteorological information partly through its own network (consisting of roadside weather stations and road inspection reports) and partly through an external provider. The Hungarian Meteorological Service provides both short- and long-term forecasts, satellite and radar images, temperature graphs, and – if necessary – weather alerts.
The SMMC Ltd. also places great emphasis on taking preventive actions against snowdrifts. There are two basic methods: planting permanent snow-protection forest belts (as can be seen along the M7 motorway) and installing snow fences. By 10 November, the engineering bureaux placed these temporary snow-protection barriers at the locations within their area of operation where, based on experience from previous years, snow drifts and snow build-up are likely.
Those who use the motorways are kindly requested to drive with greater caution and at a suitable speed for winter road conditions, and to start their journeys only in vehicles that have undergone thorough technical preparations and are equipped with winter tyres. Starting the journey with a full fuel tank is recommended. The company also warns that overtaking a convoy of vehicles clearing snow involves a risk of accident and is therefore strictly forbidden by the traffic regulations.
Information on road and traffic conditions can be obtained via the low cost telephone line that is charged at the local tariff from anywhere in the country (+36/40/40-50-60), or the dispatch service that is available day and night. Furthermore, the motorway website (www.motorway.hu), the SMS-based information services, and the Variable Message Signs installed over the motorways are all there to assist motorists in finding the necessary information.