The Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa today presented the Winter Road Plan 2021-2022, which highlights the closure of the A-15, in the part of Gipuzkoa, provided that the risk of snow is level 1 or higher. When this circumstance occurs, heavy vehicles must circulate on the NI or the Sakana highway and light vehicles will be able to use the GI-2130 road from Berastegi to Tolosa.

This was announced by the Deputy for Road Infrastructure, Aintzane Oiarbide, who explained that the decision to close the highway has been made due to the reinforcement works of the lining and adaptation of the facilities of the Belabieta tunnels, and due to the impossibility of traveling through the traffic diversions with the snowplow trucks.

As detailed by Oiarbide, “both roads will be closed completely, for all vehicles, between the Berastegi link and the Andoain link, provided that the Euskalmet alerts announce snow below 700 meters“Whenever this happens, heavy vehicles must circulate on the NI or the Sakana highway and light vehicles must do so on the GI-2130 road from Berastegi to Tolosa.

The Andoain-Iruña direction road will cut off at Andoain, not allowing the access of any vehicle. The carriageway in Iruña-Andoain direction will narrow to a lane in the vicinity of the Berastegi junction, ending up by a detour from vehicles to the junction, where the Ertzaintza will discriminate vehicles redirecting towards Navarra, via the A-15, to heavy vehicles.

Likewise, Oiarbide has clarified that when the A-15 is closed to traffic, the troops assigned to said highway will be allocated to other roads and needs: “to maintain the Berastegi-Leitza section; to collaborate in the maintenance of the GI-2130 road; to maintain the road as clean as possible in the cut section of the A-15, so that there is no great accumulation of snow and the total opening of the road is not complicated when appropriate; and to reinforce the equipment arranged on the NI road “.

87 trucks and 11,400 tons of salt

This winter road plan will remain in force between November 15 and April 15, and will be activated when the Basque Meteorological Agency issues warnings for ice (at any elevation) or snow (below 1000 meters).

As detailed today by the Deputy for Road Infrastructures Aintzane Oiarbide, the Plan will be equipped with 87 trucks Provincial Council and Bidegi, to which as every year will be added the large capacity cranes available to the Basque Government in the NI and the A-15, which will be used in the event that a heavy vehicle obstructs the road or has problems.

Oiarbide has reported that the 3.1 million allocated to the Plan will increase by another 1.7 million euros (4.8 million in total) with the construction of the new winter road center located in Bergara. With this new silo, the amount of salt stored increases until 11 400 tons, spread over 39 deposits.

Shared responsibility

The objective of the Highway Plan is to maintain the territory’s road network in adequate conditions: free of ice and snow. However, the Deputy has emphasized the importance of following the recommendations and avoiding risks as far as possible. “In very adverse weather conditions, it is advisable to avoid taking the car and if this is not possible, make sure you have the vehicle in good condition and with the appropriate resources,” stressed Oiarbide.

He has also made a special appeal to those who drive heavy vehicles, recalling that in the event of snow it is totally forbidden to overtake and circulate in the left lane. “I also extend this request to the rest of the vehicles; when the road is in bad condition it is convenient leave the left lane clear so that snow plows and emergency vehicles can do their job“, It is finished.