Riga readies more than 170 machines for winter road maintenance

Riga plans to spend about 30 million euros on clearing streets and pavements this winter, with more than 170 pieces of machinery ready for the work, LSM reports.

The Riga City Council plans to allocate 7.3 million euros for centralised pavement maintenance and 23 million euros for roads, bridges and overpasses. Crews will first clear main roads used by public transport, along with bridges and overpasses, before moving on to neighbourhood streets. Cycle paths will also be cleared.

Of the 132 machines assigned to the city’s main road network, 39 are large vehicles fitted with snowploughs and spreaders for treated salt or sand. Another 15 will clear cycle paths, while 78 machines of different sizes, including medium and small tractors, are adapted to specific street widths and conditions.

The council rated last winter’s maintenance between six and seven out of 10, saying the work could have been better. It has reviewed response times to snowfall and plans to act faster this season. Officials also say they have worked on improving the clearing of crossings, where puddles and compacted snow made it difficult for pedestrians to cross.

Snow left on pavements can become compacted during a thaw and turn into hard-to-remove ice when temperatures fall again. The city says street cleaners will also play an important role in preventing these buildups. Forecasters indicate that the first snow in Latvia could arrive as early as November.