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By News
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Wednesday, 27 January 2010 |
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Recent extreme temperatures mean that the ice road between Oulu and the island of Hailuoto is already open.
In the last ten years, the road has often not opened until February but recent cold conditions have meant that it was commissioned last weekend. Last year was so warm that it was not opened until 20th March and was only in use for a week and a half.
For most of a year, a free ferry takes people to and from the island, which has just over 1000 inhabitants and is 10km off the coast. This makes Oulu’s ice road the longest in the country.
The freezing conditions have thickened the ice to 40cm, enough to carry a car. Heavier vehicles must continue to use the ferry, even in winter. Machinery is deployed to break through the ice so that the ferry can pass.
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