Applicability of ITS Solutions in The Field of Winter Maintenance in

The objective of this article is to identify and assess options for improving the effectiveness of winter road maintenance as well as road safety through the implementation of intelligent transport systems (ITS). The research focused on the situation in Estonia. A survey was conducted and results analysed to map the concerns and wishes of winter maintenance workers and assess the readiness of stakeholders to implement ITS solutions. The sample was compiled to include the entire country, i.e. the survey included both local and state roads. Local roads were selected on the basis of the population of said administrative unit and the amount of funds allocated to local roads from the state budget. The research examined which ITS solutions could Estonia transfer from other states and under which terms and conditions. It also identified the terms (economic efficiency, mandatory nature, improving road safety, sustainability of the environment) under which the authorities and companies engaging in winter road maintenance would consider implementing a new ITS solution, as well as the extent of such implementation