Digital map helps residents of Umeå to choose a path free of snow

Nordic winter conditions require some very local and intriguing solutions

Snow and ice are unavoidable obstacles for pedestrians and cyclists in winter Sweden. Or are they? The Muncipality of Umeå announced to the residents that it has added a new feature on its official website called plow map.

The purpose of the digital tool is to show the people, more or less in real-time, which walking and cycling paths have been recently cleaned and de-iced. It also shows whether the street has not been repaired recently. The map is updated with a 30-minute delay.

Digitizing winter maintenance services

Up until now, Umeå Municipality was using the so-called ‘snow diary’ to let residents know what the situation is regarding snow obstruction on the streets. This will now be replaced by the plow map, which gives a more immediate visual picture.

“We believe and hope that the map is a clearer and more practical support. Visually showing current work is easier than writing and manually updating a web page,” explains Dag Brändström, street engineer at Umeå Municipality.

The investment in the snow plow map is part of Umeå municipality's and the technical board's ambition to digitize services and services with the aim of making it easier for citizens. As the map is new, the street management staff hope that Umeå residents will help by giving feedback. 

For reasons of cost and resources, Umeå municipality cannot carry out snow removal and anti-skid control simultaneously, and immediately, throughout the municipality. The authorities, therefore, prioritize the streets, pedestrian paths and cycling lanes that have the greatest need. The priorities are based on consideration of gender equality, the environment and health.