The embankments along motorways and expressways are often intensive maintenance zones. They need to be mowed 2 to 3 times a year. Compensation areas away from the routes are mowed less frequently to meet the needs of insects, plants, and other living organisms.

We mow the grass along our motorways and expressways according to the guidelines of the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf AG).

We adhere to the guidelines of the Austrian Federal Forests for green maintenance and tree care.

As a road operator, we must primarily consider the following points:

• Clear visibility of the roadway must be ensured at all times and everywhere.
• Weak trees are felled because they could fall onto the roadway during strong winds.
• Trees must be regularly pruned ("cut back to the stump") because they cast shadows on the roadway, which can lead to black ice in winter.
• Wildlife fences along the routes should be easily inspected year-round, which would be hindered by dense greenery.
• Leaves and dense vegetation can clog drainage systems and make it difficult to remove litter from embankments.

Our route service is responsible for cleaning motorways and expressways. The main cleaning periods are in spring and autumn, before and after winter service, and before the start of green maintenance.

Each year, our employees collect about 2,000 tons of waste along our motorways and expressways, often through painstaking manual labor. Manual cleaning is time-consuming and can take several days, but it significantly contributes to the cleanliness of our road network and the sense of safety for travelers and drivers.

We recover dead animals and hand them over to the local animal carcass disposal service. Please contact the local animal carcass disposal service directly. We do not identify found animals and therefore cannot provide information about missing pets.