Snow clearing and road maintenance

How snow removal and road maintenance work at Bortelid

Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid. Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid.Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.

Regulations and procedures for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid.
Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid. Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.

Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid.
Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.

Regulations and procedures for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid.
Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid. Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.

Bortelid Utmarkslag SA is responsible for snow removal and road maintenance at Bortelid.
Bortelid Drift og Utvikling AS is contracted for emergency preparedness and the practical execution of snow removal and sanding. They also handle administration and the on-call phone service.

Contact information
Send an SMS to the snow removal crew: BORTELID VARSEL <your message> to 26200
‍Note: We cannot reply directly to these messages.

On-call phone: 38 13 34 00 (press 6)
Email: vei@bortelid.no

The price list includes VAT.

Snow clearing and road maintenance fees

The prices apply from winter season to winter season (Nov-Nov) and include the work described in these regulations.

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Additional services

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Other non-road-related fees

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Regulations and procedures

1. Safety

‍The safety of snow clearing crews and the public is of the utmost importance when performing snow removal and road maintenance. We therefore make every effort to schedule tasks such as thorough clearing, grading, etc., for times when there are as few people as possible on the roads. If your car is parked, there is no need to move it so that we can clear the parking space unless you are specifically asked to do so.
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We also encourage all parents to clearly instruct their children to always move to a safe place when tractors approach and that the snow spray from a snowblower is dangerous to approach. Sledding along roads and digging snow caves in snowbanks also pose a safety risk.

2. Snow clearing‍

We always strive for high-quality snow clearing, which we carry out according to the following priorities.

Main roads will always have the highest priority and should, in principle, always be easily accessible between 07:00 and 21:00 for a standard car with winter tires. Snow accumulation of 5-10 cm of wet snow and up to 15 cm of dry snow may occur at times.

Main roads are roads that are regulated and built as part of a cabin development and are used by more than 5 units. See separate map.

Cabin roads are privately built roads AND all roads used by fewer than 5 units.

Cabin owners along privately built roads with 4 or more units can order additional services to receive plowing intervals, sanding, and the installation of snow markers, similar to main roads. This requires that everyone along the road participates in the agreement.

If the majority of cabin owners along a private road want additional services, everyone must pay for them.

Plowing of cabin roads and parking areas is a high priority, with thorough clearing before every weekend and holiday. Plowing will be completed by Thursday afternoon if needed (5-10 cm of wet snow or up to 15 cm of dry snow). During heavier snowfall on other days, parking areas will be plowed to ensure access. During extreme weather, all priority is given to keeping main roads open. Parking areas will be plowed as capacity allows.

Parking is plowed for up to 2 cars. Those with sufficient space can request plowing for additional vehicles. On high-traffic roads, ice and hard-packed snow will be removed with a road grader as needed.

Plowing of cabin roads and parking areas is a high priority, with thorough clearing before every weekend and holiday. Plowing will be completed by Thursday afternoon if needed (5-10 cm of wet snow or up to 15 cm of dry snow). During heavier snowfall on other days, parking areas will be plowed to ensure access. During extreme weather, all priority is given to keeping main roads open. Parking areas will be plowed as capacity allows.

Parking is plowed for up to 2 cars. Those with sufficient space can request plowing for additional vehicles.

On high-traffic roads, ice and hard-packed snow will be removed with a road grader as needed.

Cabin Services/Plowing App

New for the 23/24 winter season is the introduction of the Cabin Services plowing program, where cabin owners report their planned arrival via an app or website so that plowing can be scheduled accordingly. The solution was tested in a smaller area last winter and yielded good results regarding quality, efficiency, and environmental considerations.

The service covers cabins with private parking, with the exception of densely populated areas such as Kvitefossvegen, Alpinvegen, and Austre-Vestre Hola.

Routines and practical information regarding Cabin Services

• Main roads are plowed as usual when there is 5-10 cm of snowfall.
• Private cabin roads and main roads with few cabins are deprioritized when no arrivals have been reported along the route. These roads are maintained as needed to ensure they remain accessible for a standard vehicle.
• When roads are plowed, parking areas for cabins that have reported an arrival will also be cleared.
• If more than 20 cm of snow has fallen, parking areas will be plowed before the weekend even if no arrival has been reported. This ensures it is always possible to park a car.
• We request that you notify us of your arrival at least one day in advance, and by Friday for weekend stays, though earlier is preferred. Roads are often plowed between 5:00 and 7:00 AM, so it is important to receive notice early so we can include your parking area in our route.
• If you plan to arrive early in the day, please notify us of your arrival the day before so we have time to plow. Your cabin will be flagged and plowed regularly from your arrival until your departure. A feature for selecting arrival times will likely be available soon.
• Once the parking areas have been plowed, you will receive an SMS confirming they are ready. EIf plowing is not required, you will not receive an SMS. this is to reduce administration. When you are at the cabin, the parking area will be plowed as needed without us sending an SMS.

Information regarding login for new owners will be sent out via SMS and email during November. If you do not receive login information, please contact vei@bortelid.no.

Information video from Hyttetjenester →‍

For questions regarding the use of the service: post@hyttetjenester.net

The service is constantly being developed, and its usage will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to see how the solution is working.

NB! It is important to have address numbers on the cabins. This is a requirement from the municipality, but it is also important so that we can handle orders and messages correctly.

3. Snow markers and courtyard standards

Installation of snow markers on main roads (see map) and shared parking areas at Skardeheia, Berge, the town center, Kvitefosslia (Kvitefossvegen), Rundatjønna, Fossbrotet, and Hesteholun, as well as shared parking for apartment buildings, is carried out before each winter. For shared parking areas, property owners are responsible for ensuring that building components such as stairs and terraces are clearly marked throughout the winter.

On cabin roads and in cabin courtyards, cabin owners are responsible for installing their own snow markers. These should be placed approximately 25 cm outside the road shoulder, with 5-meter intervals on roads and 2-meter intervals in courtyards. In addition, all obstacles such as stones, terraces, and similar must be marked at a safe distance. At intersections, e.g., against a main road, the markers should be placed approximately 1 meter to each side to allow space for the snowplowing equipment to turn in, provided there are no obstacles there.

Cabin owners are responsible for ensuring that courtyards and cabin roads have a satisfactory standard with gravel or asphalt as the top layer. The gravel layer, preferably fine gravel/crushed stone 0-14mm, must be at least 5cm thick, and there must be no protruding stones or other objects that could get into the snowplowing equipment.
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Vegetation must be cleared at least 1 meter along parking areas and roads to ensure good visibility and avoid damage to equipment. This also applies to branches up to a height of at least 3 meters.

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If snow markers are missing or the standard of the road/courtyard is too poor, the snowplow crew may choose not to plow and will hold the cabin owner liable for damage to equipment and windows.

Installation of snow markers can be ordered as an additional service.
Snow markers can be purchased at Bortelid. Specific information about this is sent out in the autumn, but there is usually a self-service solution at the shop starting from the autumn break.
If you have any questions, please email vei@bortelid.no

4. Damage to buildings

‍If damage occurs to terraces or buildings, the snowplow crew is generally responsible for repairs. If snow markers are missing, damage will generally not be repaired.

Damage must be reported as soon as possible to vei@bortelid.no. Please include photos and note when you believe the damage occurred.

If our snowplow crew reports any damage, we will attempt to contact the cabin owner as soon as possible.

5. Gritting

Deciding when to apply grit is always difficult, but our goal is for all main roads to be passable for a standard car with winter tires. Drivers with poor tires, heavy loads, or trailers must take extra precautions and use snow chains or other equipment. Steep hills and challenging areas are prioritized.

It is possible to order a gritting agreement where we grit the road to a cabin and a strip into the driveway on the same day we grit the main roads. For cabin roads serving multiple cabins, we may require that all involved parties have this agreement.

Occasional gritting can also be ordered at current rates, but must be requested at least 2 days in advance and requires more than one assignment.

If you need sand to grit your parking area or for other purposes, it can be collected free of charge from the Bortelid Utmarkslag sand storage at Juvatn. The address is Heddersvegen 292, 4540 Åseral.

6. Improvements and summer maintenance

Basic summer maintenance such as sweeping, roadside mowing, scraping/filling potholes, and cleaning culverts along main roads and communal parking areas at Skardeheia, Berge, Sentrum, Kvitefosslia, Rundatjønna, Fossbrotet, and Hesteholun will be carried out each summer as needed.

Stopcocks located in exposed areas, closer than 3 meters from the main road, must be marked with wooden stakes or similar to prevent damage during roadside mowing. Do not use snow markers, as they have a short lifespan and can cause problems during snow clearing. This marking is the responsibility of the cabin owner.

When an area requires major improvements to main roads (see map), such as re-graveling, ditch cleaning, or paving, this additional cost will be divided equally among all road users.

Cost estimates and financing plans must be approved by the board of Bortelid Utmarkslag before work can begin. Beyond the contribution from Bortelid Utmarkslag, remaining costs are divided equally among all cabin owners in the area who have a parking space connected to the road in question.

Costs are invoiced to cabin owners along with the snow clearing fees. If the cost exceeds NOK 3,000 per unit, Bortelid Utmarkslag will spread the costs over several years.

Upgrading road standards, such as paving a gravel road, requires the support of a majority of the cabin owners in the area. A price estimate for the upgrade will be provided in advance, and actual costs will be distributed among all cabin owners once the work is completed.

Bortelid Utmarkslag encourages as many people as possible to pave their parking areas and will help facilitate joint offers to ensure the best possible pricing.

7. Prices

The fee is normally invoiced at the start of the season. Prices are adjusted annually based on the cost index for winter road maintenance.

• By paying the snow clearing fee, you agree to the current regulations and procedures.
• In the event of a sale or long-term rental, the cabin owner is obligated to inform the new party of the applicable regulations.
• In the event of a change of ownership, the new owner will take over the services agreed upon by the previous owner unless written notice of cancellation is provided.

Address changes and contact information for any new owners should be sent to vei@bortelid.no.
In the event of a change of ownership or cancellation of additional services during the agreement period, paid amounts are generally not refunded. Changes must be reported well in advance of the new season.

Please contact vei@bortelid.no if you have any questions or wish to order or cancel additional services.

Note! It is very important that all cabins are clearly marked with their address. This is necessary for notifications, ordering additional services, and is also a municipal requirement to ensure that emergency vehicles can find their way quickly.

Subject to printing errors.

The price list includes VAT.