Brenner closed

Onset of winter causes chaos on Tyrol’s roads

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer, Krone KREATIV)

The heavy snowfall in Tyrol caused some traffic problems on Friday, especially in the area around the Brenner Pass. Snow chains were compulsory on some roads, while progress was slow on others, including the Brenner highway. There was also an accident involving a snow plow in Mühlbachl in the Wipptal valley.

Some cars got stuck or skidded, especially around the Brenner Pass, for example on the main road into the Wipptal Valley. Traffic also came to a standstill on the A13 highway due to stuck trucks. According to Asfinag, around 40 centimetres of fresh snow had fallen in a short space of time at Brenner-Nord. More than 20 snow clearing vehicles and towing companies were deployed to clear the route.

None of this helped shortly after midday: around 12.30 p.m., the Brenner freeway had to be closed to all traffic in the southbound direction, according to the ÖAMTC. Because many people were diverting to other roads, there were also delays around Innsbruck.

A major problem are those trucks that use the second and third lanes despite the ban on driving and overtaking, thus blocking the way for cars and above all for the snow clearing teams if they get stuck.

Asfinag

Snow chains compulsory, snow plow involved in an accident
The ÖAMTC also reported several roads late on Friday morning where it was only possible to make progress with snow chains: on the Arlbergstraße between St. Anton and Langen, the Sellrainer Straße between Zirl and Kühtai and in the Zillertal between Hintertux and Kaltenbach.

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Also in Wipptal, in Mühlbachl, there was a traffic accident late Friday morning in which, according to initial information from the control center, a snow plough crashed. Further details were not yet known.

The slippery roads also caused problems around Innsbruck, with a number of cars colliding with each other in Vill.

Avalanches without injuries
Two avalanches were also reported to the Tyrol control center in Schlick in the Stubai Valley, but fortunately no one was injured. The avalanche warning service had warned that the avalanche danger in parts of Tyrol would rise to level four on Friday.