Some take parental leave, others practice blacksmithing and even organize exhibitions, or devote themselves to activities close to their hearts. For the opportunity to have such a winter work break, some road workers even turn down promotions.

If you have visited Liepkalnis Winter Park in Vilnius in recent years, chances are that Vilnius resident Stasys Jucevičius helped you up the hill. Recently retired at 65, Stasys has already spent eight winter seasons ensuring the safety of the capital’s skiers. During the rest of the year—spring, summer, and autumn—he works as a road worker at Fegda, laying roads and repairing streets. Jucevičius jokes that “life is only just beginning,” so he has no plans to slow down—he intends to keep working as long as his health allows.

In Summer – On the Roads; In Winter – In the Mountains

According to Jucevičius, the roadwork season ends when heavier frosts arrive, so winter often becomes a time to take a short break from regular duties.

In summer, road workers labor in the heat, and in autumn, even in the rain. But when severe frost sets in, activity on the roads stops for at least two months.

Some dedicate this pause to family, others to health treatments or hobbies, while Jucevičius spends most of the winter on the slopes of Liepkalnis.

“I remember how a fellow road worker, who also works at Liepkalnis in winter, once asked me: aren’t you afraid of the cold or dealing with people—would you like to try? I agreed. And here we are, eight winters later, still going strong through the мороз. In summer we work on the roads, and in winter—in the mountains,” he laughs.

Although the Liepkalnis season coincides with the start of road workers’ winter “holidays,” Jucevičius says such an active pace of life does not tire him at all. “Sometimes we joke that at Fegda we work, but at Liepkalnis we rest. We see how adults and children enjoy the snow, and that makes us happy too,” he says.

Despite welcoming thousands of skiers each season, he does not ski himself. When asked why, he modestly replies: “After all, I’m already retired…”

Jucevičius is glad that his youthful decision to become a road worker now allows him to combine both activities, spend time with family, travel, and most importantly—go fishing.

When Roadwork Stops, a Man from Dzūkija Turns to Blacksmithing

Four years ago, Tomas Dzingelevičius from the Alytus district also decided to become a road worker. He was motivated by the desire to find a balance between work and personal life that would allow him to pursue his beloved craft—blacksmithing.

“Metal is my element,” says Dzingelevičius, speaking about his love for traditional Lithuanian crafts.

However, he never planned to earn a living from his craft. For him, blacksmithing has always been a source of pleasure and relaxation, and over time he wanted to devote more hours to it. This encouraged him—previously working as a welder and tractor driver—to look for a job that would satisfy his need for self-expression as a craftsman. He joined the Alytus-based road construction company Alkesta as a road worker.

Passionate about blacksmithing since childhood, he now has a workshop at home where he spends most of the winter. There he forges sun symbols, horseshoes, and candleholders. A year ago, he presented his first solo exhibition, “Blacksmith Crosses,” at the Verebiejai Library.

Visitors had the opportunity to explore works intertwining Christian and ancient Baltic symbolism. An updated collection is planned to be exhibited at other branches of the Alytus District Public Library.

“If I’m not in the forge, I read books or sing. During that time, I even begin to miss roadwork—it also requires attention to detail,” Dzingelevičius notes.

Jucevičius agrees. Both men say they look forward to the warm season. “We are road workers. We’re waiting for the ground to thaw and for work to begin,” they smile.

Road Workers’ “Holidays” Last from January to March

According to Daiva Čiurylaitė, HR Manager at Fegda, there are many similar stories among their employees. Some road workers even decline career advancement just to preserve the opportunity to take “winter holidays.”

“Not everyone wants to give up the chance to rest in winter, and administrative work isn’t suitable for everyone. Some people enjoy the construction site, the bustle, the machinery—and would never trade it for a desk job,” she says.

This winter, many of the company’s road workers stopped working even before the major winter holidays. “Due to weather conditions, work at most sites was suspended in mid-December, while colleagues involved in larger projects—such as the Rail Baltica railway expansion in the Panevėžys district—continued until New Year,” Čiurylaitė explains.

Work on roads, like at airports, is heavily influenced by meteorological conditions. Poor weather can halt operations not only in winter but also in summer. “In August, strong storms may temporarily stop work, while in winter it’s frozen ground, heavy snowfall, or extremely low temperatures,” she says.

At the end of the season, some infrastructure construction companies in Lithuania terminate contracts with road workers. However, Fegda and Alkesta follow a different practice.

“Although this is seasonal work and employees are often ‘let go’ until the next season, we hire people on permanent contracts. We believe this benefits both sides: the employee keeps their job, and we retain our worker,” Čiurylaitė says.

As a result, for many employees the cold season is associated not with searching for a new workplace, but with the opportunity to recharge before the new season begins.

“We have many active colleagues who play padel, run, dance, engage in personal development, motorsports, or kitesurfing. Others prefer artistic activities—they create electronic music, take photographs, organize exhibitions, paint, knit, or play the guitar. Some spend their free time in the kitchen fermenting vegetables or hunting, while others collect euro coins,” shares the HR manager of Fegda.