Finland Times

The approximately 7-kilometre ice road connects Oulunsalo with the Haliluoto Island across the frozen Bothnian Sea during the winter.

The road’s opening, however, still needs about 10 centimetres more of ice layer to support navigation.

The road could not be opened last winter due to a mild weather. Last year was bad from the perspective of ice, since there was none at all, and, for instance, in 2008, the road had remained opened for only about 10 days.

“Last year was probably the only one when no road of any kind could have been made,” said Juha Toppi, the person responsible for the ice road at Touhu-Palvelut.

“Often, the ice road remains passable until March, but it is difficult to predict the exact date of the opening this year. The formation of ice now does not seem to be of much help,” observed Toppi.

The ice thickness has to be 40 centimetres throughout so that a passage along the road can begin.

“The disappearance of snow along the ice route is hastened by freezing. Now the sea is almost free of snow. Ice formation cannot be helped much now. We are waiting for the force of nature,” said Toppi, adding in an optimistic tone that the ice road may be opened next week. 

According to Toppi, the ice is uneven and has to be rehabilitated.

There have been strollers along the sea ice; however, the ice road is not accessible since both shores are in poor condition.

People are still waiting for the ice road, because it makes the passage easy and people are not tied to the ferry schedules.

Toppi seemed reluctant to support the discussion about the proposed Haliluoto Bridge, saying, “I would concentrate on the natural means of moving around.”