Faroese minister plans significant increase in road maintenance funding

The Faroese minister of transport, Jacob Vestergaard, said he plans to significantly increase funding for road maintenance, after a new report from the national road authority Landsverk estimated the annual need at 300 million kroner. Vestergaard acknowledged that the full amount is unlikely to be allocated, but stressed that roads in the worst condition may have to be closed if maintenance neglect becomes a safety hazard.

Vestergaard welcomed the Landsverk report and agreed that the accumulated backlog is the main challenge. He pointed to the Skálafjørður bridge as an example requiring substantial investment. The minister said he wants to ensure that future budgets set aside money for maintenance when funding tunnels and new roads, noting that the state-owned tunnel companies already set aside reserves for upkeep.