City of Tallinn initiates snow clearance on sidewalks of municipally-controlled roads
Tallinn Takes Charge of Snow Removal on City-Owned Sidewalks
As of 2025, the responsibility for snow removal on city-owned sidewalks in Tallinn, Estonia, is part of the city's winter maintenance services. This change in policy, which centralizes snow removal under city supervision and experienced maintenance firms, aims to ensure consistent, professional winter maintenance amid increasing demands for public safety and accessibility during snowy conditions.
Previously, the responsibility for clearing snow from city-owned sidewalks was partly the responsibility of adjacent property owners. However, the city council has now approved an amendment to the city's maintenance bylaw, making it obligatory for the city to remove snow from sidewalks of all city-owned streets from the coming winter.
The change in policy was initiated by the Isamaa party, with Priidu Pärna, a council member from the party, serving as co-rapporteur of the motion that led to the amendment. Pärna stated that previous claims about the cost of ending the winter corveé obligation were exaggerated and, in fact, the actual cost has been revealed to be significantly lower than previously claimed. According to the current coalition's analysis, the cost of ending the winter corveé obligation is no more than half of the previous estimate.
The city of Tallinn is now responsible for removing snow from sidewalks of all city-owned streets, and this task is being carried out by specialized maintenance companies such as SANOMAR KINNISVARAHOOLDUS OÜ. These companies provide snow removal and anti-slip measures on sidewalks as part of their service offerings to the city.
Pärna expressed pleasure that Tallinn has joined other municipalities in taking this decision and hopes that Tallinn will serve as a role model for cities that have not yet made this decision. He also stated that the previous claims about the cost were completely made up.
The change in policy is a significant step towards improving road and pedestrian safety and streamlining service quality and accountability. It helps avoid confusion over responsibility and ensures sidewalks remain safe for pedestrians during winter.
[1] More information about the snow removal contracts and the analysis conducted by the current coalition can be found in the city council's official documentation.
