Kipa is ready for the gusts of winter

The city's subsidiary Imatran Kiinteistö- ja aluepalvelu Oy (Kipa) is still responsible for street maintenance in the Imatra area.

Snow plowing and sandblasting are handled as last time in winter, when the current method of operation was used for the first time.

─ The current method of operation is familiar from the early 2000s. Sometimes different quality definitions were tried, Kipa's CEO Markku Puuska says.

The streets are kept in trafficable condition according to street classifications around the clock, but more detailed finishing works is aimed at always focus on daytime. The maintenance tasks that guarantee the passage of vehicles and light traffic are carried out at night and on weekends.

─ We focus work on day shifts. The on-call team will of course start at any time if necessary, Puuska clarifies.

Urgency of three categories

The first departure always plows the city's main streets. There are 81 kilometers of streets at the level of the main thoroughfare in Imatra. The main roads can be plowed once in four hours with two units. The busiest light traffic routes are plowed at the same time as the main thoroughfares.

After the main thoroughfares, it's the turn of collector streets. These include the main streets of residential areas, of which there are 78 kilometers in the city.

Finally, the plowing of the smaller residential streets is carried out. There are about 250 kilometers of these streets in the city that separate from the main streets.

─ Sometimes you may have to wait for the plowing of residential streets, because priority is given to bigger thoroughfares and light traffic routes. In connection with small snowfalls it is possible that on residential streets the snow is deliberately allowed to settle in place, says Puuska.

In sandblasting, light traffic lanes, road crossing areas and public transport stops have priority. Sandblasting of residential streets is done at discretion.

Nine drivers and six contractors

Kippa has nine drivers and work machines for snow plowing and sandblasting.

In addition, Kipa employs six different subcontractors with ten machines.

It is the property owner's responsibility to keep their own plot connection and the plot connection rainwater drum clean. The drum must not freeze.

Every year, at least some of the residents of single-family homes are annoyed by the snowbank left by the plow at the gate. Can anything be done about this?

─ Unfortunately, only a few devices have the possibility that the snow does not pile up in front of the lot junction when plowing, Puuska regrets.

You must reserve a place for the snow on the plots in your own yard. Moving snow to the site from the area into the city's street or park area is prohibited.

For more information:

CEO Markku Puuska, Kipa, tel. 05 235 2860, markku.puskaimatrankipa.fi

Responsible foreman Kimmo Kauhanen, Kipa, 05 813 6601, spring. ladleimatrankipa.fi