Funding cut threatens regional road network, report warns

Funding for road resurfacing is set to fall by more than 110 million euros next year, threatening the condition of regional roads, according to a report cited by Yle. Spending on repairs to paved roads will drop from 279 million euros this year to 165 million euros next year.

Next year’s funding will prioritise repairs to main roads, even though 90 per cent of the state road network’s repair backlog is on regional and connecting roads. The total backlog on state roads is 2.6 billion euros, including 2.4 billion euros on those roads.

The regional network is important to industries including forestry, agriculture and tourism. The length of state roads in poor condition has risen from about 3,000 kilometres in 2011 to around 12,000 kilometres last year. At the planned funding level, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency estimates that the amount needing repair will reach 31,000 kilometres. The situation is worst in eastern and northern Finland.

Finland has 78,000 kilometres of state roads. The entire road network totals 454,000 kilometres, including 350,000 kilometres of private and forest roads and 26,000 kilometres of municipal streets.

The report was commissioned by INFRA, Koneyrittäjät, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, the Finnish Forest Centre, MTK, SKAL, the Finnish Road Association and Destia. It was prepared by Destia’s strategic transport systems unit.