Finland’s ‘worst rural road’ in Kittilä to undergo summer repairs

Finland’s most notorious rural road, the Köngäs-Tepasto-Raattama route in Kittilä, will receive extensive repairs this summer, regional authorities have announced, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The road, crowned the country’s “worst rural road” last November, has caused safety hazards and significant vehicle damage for residents, with some forced to take detours of up to 300 kilometres to avoid its deteriorating surface. Repairs will include deepening drainage ditches, replacing damaged culverts, and adding fresh gravel to the surface. However, residents’ calls for asphalt paving will not be met, as a full reconstruction—the prerequisite for asphalt—remains unaffordable under current funding.

Anja Keskitalo, a local resident, described the road’s condition as barely tolerable due to this spring’s dry weather, though winter and thawing periods left it nearly impassable. “Nature has been on our side—it hasn’t rained, and it’s been windy and cold,” she said. Her vehicle has suffered repeated damage, including broken tires, shock absorbers, and a driveshaft, costing over €2,000 in repairs. At its worst, the road’s muddy stretches forced drivers onto detours more than double the usual distance.

Joona Peltoniemi of the Lapland Centre for Economic Development explained that the road’s excessive width—up to 10 metres in places—prevents proper drainage and contributes to potholes. “A gravel road is easier to maintain when it’s narrow, around 6.5–7 metres,” he noted. Poor drainage causes the roadbed to weaken, particularly during freeze-thaw cycles, requiring ditches to be cleared every five to seven years.

While this summer’s repairs will improve conditions, Peltoniemi ruled out asphalt as a solution without additional state funding. “You can’t just pave over a gravel road—you’d need to rebuild the entire structure to prevent frost damage from cracking the surface,” he said. Asphalt remains cost-effective only for high-traffic routes, a threshold this rural road does not meet.