In Isère, 400 agents are responsible for road maintenance. In the event of heavy snowfall, they are responsible for clearing the departmental roads aboard snow plows. A job that requires coordination and vigilance.
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Jean-Marie and Yannick have been hard at work since 4 a.m. this Monday, December 23. Aboard their impressive snow plow, they have already made several return trips between the bottom of the valley and the ski resorts of Isère.
Both are highway agents for the Department. Since the implementation of winter services last November, they have been ready to intervene on the 800 km of departmental roads located above 1,000 meters above sea level.
And with the heavy snowfall at the end of the year, the work is far from being a gift: “We leave at 4 a.m. and we pass five to six times during the day. It depends, but there was heavy snowfall and it’s quite windy. We don’t stop”says Jean-Marie behind the wheel of the snow plow.
Since Sunday, between 30 and 50 cm of snow have fallen from 500 meters above sea level. In higher mountains, the snow cover can reach one meter. Nothing to scare these two agents. “We are used to these conditions, it is winter. It is especially people who are stuck on the roads or waiting to put on their chains that we must be careful”continues Jean-Marie.
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In the department of Isère, 400 agents are responsible for road maintenance. In the event of heavy snowfall, they are responsible for clearing the departmental roads aboard snowplows.
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©FTV
The days are often long and difficult, marked by climatic hazards and traffic on the roads. If you wake up so early, it is in particular to work in complete peace of mind: “When we finish the day, we never say to ourselves that nothing happened today. There are always things, sometimes we pass within 2 cm of a car… It's not never simple, but people are understandable.”
Yannick sits in the back of the driver's seat. He is responsible for deploying the blades which, on both sides of the vehicle, scrape and push back the snow. Coordination is crucial with Jean-Marie. “We fly both fins on the side. We have to pay attention to the environment and people. It's a job of precision and coordination. We have to talk to each other. Like in a couple: if there's no “There's no dialogue, it simply doesn't work.”he smiles.
Another aspect of their work also involves maintaining the machines: “The main thing is that the machines are ready to go. We have to be confident when we get inside. Otherwise, if we let it go, it's a debacle.”
Once winter and snowfall are over, the snow plows will return to the garage. The Department's 400 agents will carry out mowing on the side of the road. “In winter we remove the snow, and in summer we remove the grass”summarizes Jean-Marie.
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