Persistent Ice Hazards on Berlin Sidewalks Reveal Gaps in Winter Maintenance EnforcementWith icy conditions gripping Berlin for several days, an increasing number of pedestrians have suffered slip-and-fall accidents on the city's sidewalks. Despite clear regulations mandating property owners and municipal authorities to perform winter maintenance such as clearing snow and spreading grit, enforcement is proving challenging. Official records show that since 2020, only four administrative proceedings for inadequate winter maintenance have been initiated in Pankow, underscoring the reactive nature of enforcement. Inside public parks, no winter maintenance is provided for pedestrian paths, except where these paths are officially designated as transportation routes, such as certain cycling paths. The reliance on citizen reports, overlapping responsibilities among municipal agencies, and insufficient personnel resources have led to inconsistent enforcement of winter maintenance rules across the city.

Source: The Munich Eye January 30, 2026 16:19 UTC