Abstract
There have been major changes in road maintenance system in Estonia during last 10 years, Many reforms that have been carried out have changed the market situation completely. Estonia is situated in the climatic zone where the average annual temperature fluctuates greatly, for example in 2003 it ranged from the local absolute minimum -37degreesC to the local absolutemaximum + 33C. Snow covered the ground from the first days of December until mid March. About 100 temperature changes from plus to minus degrees was registered during the winter 2002/2003. Weather conditions influence thevolume of snow removal and de-icing of roads as well as the amount of spring-time frost-damage repair works. For the covering abstract see ITRD E143097.