In the Pays de la Loire and Brittany, the Interdepartmental Directorate of Roads has launched its winter watch. 1,520 kilometers of pavement are concerned. She took the opportunity to remind some users of recommendations.

Cold, sleet, frost, snow ... Winter has launched hostilities and the Interdepartmental Directorate of Roads (DIR) West winter maintenance plan. It concerns 1 520 km of national roads in Brittany and Pays de la Loire and has been activated since Monday 12 November. The watch and intervention system operates days / 7 and 24 hours / 24 until Monday, March 18, 2019.

150 agents

The DIR Ouest puts it forward: 150 agents are on standby to fight the effects of ice and snow. They have 57 machines for salting and snow removal. They also feed live information on traffic conditions on www.diro.fr and www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/routes-en-hiver

7,000 tons of salt

Already 7,000 tonnes of salt are stored in the 27 maintenance and intervention centers throughout the country. "We are sized to cope with ongoing episodes for about 10 days," says DIR West in a statement. In the case of particularly difficult snow conditions, maintenance contracts make it possible to call upon private companies to put the roads back into circulation as quickly as possible.

Agent security

The DIR Ouest takes the opportunity to ask road users to observe the greatest respect towards the agents who work, including when they find themselves trapped behind an intervention machine during salting operations. It recalls that it is forbidden to double a treatment machine in action.

Real time information

DIR Ouest wants to inform drivers in real time. Before taking the road, she recommends to consult the weather forecasts; to inquire about the traffic conditions on the national roads via the websites (mentioned above). She reminds that it is possible to listen to weather reports and media traffic and that it is necessary to comply with the information or prescriptions issued on the illuminated signs.

Obviously, if the conditions are difficult, it is desirable to delay its displacement.

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