Although Spain enjoys a warm and sunny climate, it also experiences episodes of severe cold and snowfall in the depths of winter. These phenomena, which are becoming less frequent, nevertheless pose a challenge for road safety. To meet this challenge, Spain’s road network has around 1,500 snow ploughs. In addition, during a winter campaign, more than 250,000 tonnes of salt can be poured onto the asphalt. These figures are even higher than in countries such as Switzerland, which spends most of the winter covered in snow.
In the middle of a heavy snowfall, emergency operations require that only one lane of a two-lane motorway be cleared for traffic. This counter-intuitive strategy is designed to avoid risks. If snow ploughs were to clear both lanes of the dual carriageway simultaneously, this would open up more space for vehicles to skid and thus completely block the road. By clearing only one lane, if a mishap occurs, be it an accident or a vehicle sliding, snow ploughs can still clear the extra lane and/or hard shoulder, open them to traffic and ensure that vehicles are trapped for as little time as possible.
It is not uncommon for misunderstandings to occur and even moments of tension to arise at some points, when drivers notice that only one lane is cleared and consider it a mistake. So, if any of you notice on future occasions that only one lane of the dual carriageway is open to traffic, remember that there is a good reason for this and enjoy the journey. After all, this strategy ensures your safety and avoids possible emergency situations in the event of an accident.
By Jorge Laguna, head of the structures section of Amusement Logic’s Architecture Department.
