Cleaning and care
A beautiful and safe local environment makes everyone feel better.
Snow and ice
In winter, when there is heavy snowfall or ice forms, we try to respond as quickly as possible to keep traffic moving.
Snow clearance and anti-slip measures
The Hafnarfjörður Service Centre is responsible for snow clearance and gritting, and operates a rota from 15 October to 15 April. An effort is made to maintain good service on roads and paths from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (depending on priorities), but the service hours are dictated by the weather. Contractors are called in when required during peak periods.
Comments regarding snow clearance and icy patches should be submitted via the council's feedback portal or by telephone on 585 5670.
Slippery roads
Winter maintenance is primarily a preventative measure, involving the use of salt and grit as required, alongside snow clearance. Decisions are made based on road conditions, weather and weather forecasts, as well as traffic and traffic flow. Roads are divided into priority categories, with main roads being treated first, followed by bus routes, routes to schools and nurseries, and hazardous spots, hills, and so on. General residential streets and cul-de-sacs are generally not gritted, except in special circumstances.
Snow on the streets
When snow or ice starts to slow down traffic, staff are called out to clear the snow. The threshold is before the snow depth reaches 10 cm. During snow clearance, priority is given to main roads first, then priority 2. Once traffic flow has been restored on these roads, snow clearance proceeds to side streets and other minor roads.
Snow and ice on pavements and paths
Snow clearance and gritting on the paths is carried out in priority order. Priority is given to main walking routes, links between neighbourhoods, routes into and out of Hafnarfjörður, as well as walking routes to the town's schools and institutions.
- Priority 1 (main routes), service every day of the week.
- Priority 2 (main walking routes), snow and ice clearance is carried out on all weekdays during working hours.
- Priority 3: work on snow and ice gritting will begin once priority 2 is complete.
Walking routes on public streets are not usually cleared, except in special circumstances.
Sand and salt
Residents can help with the gritting to ensure everyone's safety. Sand is available from the Service Centre, 2 Norðurhæll. You will need to bring your own container, for example a reusable bag, bucket or tray, but sand and a shovel are provided on site.
Salt bins are located at 16 sites in the town for residents. It is advisable to use salt on streets with a steep gradient and on hazardous spots where ice forms.