Street maintenance, situation on 10 November 2025

We are installing snowplough markers, sweeping leaves from streets, clearing gravel and grass from roadsides, and tidying ditches. Park paths are also being maintained. By the end of the week, temperatures are expected to drop, and we may already see snow, sleet and the first slippery conditions.

The mild late autumn has provided favourable conditions for roadwork sites and cable-laying projects. There are still unfinished sites across Espoo. We have been communicating with construction companies, and on narrowed, fenced-off routes, the responsibility for winter maintenance is often transferred to the contractors. During the first snowfalls, conditions around some roadwork sites may temporarily be worse than those on normal streets.

When the temperature drops close to zero, the moisture in the air freezes and forms a thin coating of ice on the road surface. Black ice is hard to see, which is why you have to be prepared. So switch to winter tyres in time!

Also make sure to wear weather-appropriate shoes. Studded shoes are your best option when the streets are slippery.

Leave home in time because traffic can be slow-going when the weather is bad. Focus on your own travel and pay attention to the traffic.

Our snowploughs and gritters must have easy access to streets and park paths that are maintained in the winter. Therefore, barrier gates are kept open from the beginning of November until the end of April. You must not break the locks on barrier gates or use your own locks on them.

Barrier gates and concrete barriers will be put back in place after spring cleaning has been completed.

If a tree, bush or other plant growing on private land is obstructing a street, including pedestrian and cycling paths, the property owner is responsible for removing the overhanging parts. The property owner or holder is responsible for taking care of the vegetation on their property. Trees and shrubs must be trimmed in time to ensure road safety and unhindered visibility.

Individual or damaged branches can be cut at any time of the year. Shrubs can likewise be trimmed throughout the year. The best time to thin or cut down shrubs is when there are no leaves on the ground. This will keep the nutrients in the roots and allow the shrub to grow new branches quickly. Vegetation that poses a risk to traffic and mobility must be cut immediately.

Leaves fallen from trees may cause streets to get slippery. Thick layers of leaves may also cover potholes and other obstacles on the way. You should be extra cautious when travelling on a street covered with leaves.

Property owners/holders are obliged to keep the covers of street gullies next to their property free of fallen leaves. This allows rainwater to flow freely. Property owners/holders should also keep the pipes under their driveway free from leaves.

As days get darker, you should make yourself more visible. A motorist driving with dipped headlights will only notice a pedestrian who is not wearing a reflector when they are about 50 metres away. If the pedestrian is wearing a reflector, the motorist can see them from 350 metres away. Wearing several reflectors at once improves your visibility even further.

Put on your high-visibility vest, wear reflectors and remember to improve the visibility of your pets too!

You can keep track of winter maintenance on your street via the Home Street Portal(external link, opens in a new window).

Our customer service works closely with maintenance staff and informs them about the feedback received.

We ask you to send your feedback directly through the city’s online feedback system(external link, opens in a new window). Both our feedback and telephone services are quite busy from time to time, and waiting times may be long.

If you can, also send us a photo of the site in question. Based on the photo, we will be able to assess the urgency of the situation, which will accelerate the processing of your feedback.

You can also give location-based feedback through the Trimble Feedback mobile application(external link, opens in a new window). It is a quick way to send a message to customer service, for example concerning a need for maintenance. We go through all mobile feedback and forward it to experts who will take the necessary measures.