Overview
- Munich reports more than 1,000 personnel, over 600 vehicles, and stockpiles of about 13,600 tonnes of road salt plus 3,000 tonnes of grit, with priority given to pedestrian crossings, transit stops and known hazard spots.
- Duisburg confirms readiness with 4,730 tonnes of salt and 150,000 liters of brine, 133 trained staff working in two shifts, and 42 spreader-plough trucks supported by 60 crew vehicles.
- Operations follow a three-tier plan that treats main roads and bridges first, then secondary streets, then residential roads, with roughly 40% of Duisburg’s network covered and 411 kilometers of bike paths maintained.
- Residents must clear and grit sidewalks within set hours, face liability for accidents if they fail, and in many places may not use rock salt on footpaths, which are instead treated with sand or granulate.
- Cities increasingly deploy moist salt and brine to cut overall salt use and protect vegetation, while smaller ploughs and specialized equipment handle bike and pedestrian routes.