The Transport Administration of Estonia has closed all three official ice roads due to adverse weather conditions, with a possibility of reopening them soon if conditions improve.
The Estonian Transport Administration announced the closure of all official ice roads on Saturday, citing poor weather conditions as the primary reason. As of noon, the ice road connecting Hiiumaa and Saaremaa, the Kihnu ice road, and the Vormsi ice road had all been shut down. Hannes Vaidla, the head of the western division of the Transport Administration, indicated that the closure was triggered by rising sea levels affecting accessibility, snowstorms impacting travel conditions, and safety concerns for those using the ice roads.
The closure of the Hiiumaa–Saaremaa ice road was particularly significant due to rising seawater levels that rendered the ice unsafe for travel. The Kihnu ice road faced closure because of a snowstorm, while the Vormsi ice road was affected by both rising seawater and heavy snowfall. Transport officials are monitoring the weather closely, with the hope that if conditions improve, they will be able to reopen the ice roads on either Sunday or Monday.
The reopening of the ice roads is crucial for transportation and connectivity in these regions, especially during winter months when these routes are vital for local communities and businesses. The Transport Administration had previously opened its first ice road on February 8 of this year, indicating a seasonal reliance on these temporary routes for safe travel. The circumstances surrounding each closure underscore the unpredictability of winter weather and its operational impacts on local transport infrastructure.
