Oulu, Northern Finland, is the by far best city in the world when it comes to cycling in winter. It’s not just the great and safe infrastructure, but the absolutely amazing maintenance quality. What’s behind all of that? Watch this overall presentation video of the Super Class Winter Maintenance Contract details and be sure to check out the rest of the videos and our courses at
https://masterclass.city/services/oulu-super-maintenance/
Video: Pekka Tahkola & Timo Perälä
Narrator: Pekka Tahkola
www.masterclass.city
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24 Comments
This is really inspiring you guys. Thanks for sharing! I work on the planning side of bike routes here in Denver Colorado. I love the information about the plow blades.
Oulu mainittu! Torille! 😀
This is brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this video! Going to show to people in Yekaterinburg.
Hello Pekka, I am interested in the master class. I hope to advocated to City of Whitehorse, Yukon, for better cycling infrastructure and maintenance. I see two products that look similar: "Oulun pääpyöräreittien talvihoidon erillisurakka" (Finish only) and "How the best became even better?" Which of these is the better class to get us started?
You are an example for the rest of the world. Greetings from Ukraine!
Ordered winter tires to Riga. Unfortunately they arrived when all the snow and ice was gone. Thinking to visit Oulu for testing them out 🤔. Is middle to end of march good for it?
We have very good bike lanes and paths here in Kuopio Finland too. We have a great gravel road network.
Thank you. I want to cycle during the winter in my country. How much does this cost on an annual basis?
Me pystymme siihen 😅
I wish our city provided seperate cycling paths from cars that go to the business district we have cycling paths that go to parks but they aren't maintained at all, pot holes and tree roots etc. Grand Rapids Michigan USA
Love the information but the constant view obscuring popups ruin it.
Every cityplanner should see this!
Fantastic! Winnipeg should learn from this. i loved it that the contractors serve the users, even give them a trail reception
Plows clear snow only after not less than 24 hours from the snowfall and the width of snow removal is approx. 1.5 m, with pedestrians and cyclists using the same path. Authorities develop a network of cycle paths slowly and reluctantly. Generally people don't help each other but they hate each other. Cars absolutely rule and park anywhere. Parking on pavement is officially allowed. Welcome to Krakow, Poland.
– 1:11 There are over 1,000 kilometers of bike-paths in this one city and they're maintained? The problem with North America isn't that everything is so spread out and far apart because they don't fill those areas with intricately dense paths, there only SOME bike-paths next to roads, so total distance of bike-paths is actually LESS, yet they still don't bother to maintain them. 😒
– 5:38 My city is covered in sand that gets kicked up into my mouth while biking, and sharp razor gravel that slashes tires. 😠
I'm all jealous! Greetings from the Netherlands, where we all get our panties in a twist every time the tiniest drop of snow touches our roads!
I LOVE the provision that the contractors must use the surface they maintain. I just recently said that to my local city council about winter cycling maintenance (or lack of) and trying to get around while disabled. Maybe they all should live a winter season as a cyclist or in a mobil scooter, then they'll see just how bad it is for us. Even moms cant push a stroller down the sidewalk, meanwhile roads are cleared to bare pavement
I wonder how well this will this will work in southern Ontario's fluctuating weather from slush to smite that could be packed.
WOW, in mine cyty not only there is not any winter maintenance of the bike path, but if the bike path is close to the road, they cover it with snow from the road..
Wow! I winter cycle in Kiruna, it is decent but after seeing this video i see that there still is a lot of work do be done! Visability in intersections, width of the paths and user feedback could really be improved!
I am an envious Canadian. Sounds like Oulu got this down to a science!
Greetings from Montreal, Canada #teamclous !
Great video and I hope the same rules would apply in other cities in Finland, too.
I think the most important part is that the maintenance crew must test drive the roads with their own bikes. If the have any professional pride, that should be the only QA needed.