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Session 1: Road
Assets - What do they mean for Users and Society?
Why is road asset value important for users and the community, and what can
we do to protect it?
Why is road asset management a low priority?
(Göran Gahm, City of Stockholm administration, Sweden)
During the past 10-15 years, the Nordic countries have seen a continuous
deterioration of the road network's state. This is i.a. caused by major
traffic increase and insufficient budgets for adequate maintenance of the
network. Perhaps road owners are not very good at communicating with
decision makers. At the same time, investing in new construction is given
priority. This will, in its turn, raise the demand on funds for operations
and maintenance. Road users' demands are also continuously increasing.
Insufficient funding for operations and maintenance leads to priority for
actions ensuring accessibility and traffic safety. Winter maintenance
naturally wins out, to the detriment of, for instance, road pavement
maintenance. The structural backlog increases and road assets are lost.
Why is maintaining road assets important for users and the community?
(Even Sund, Norwegian Public Roads Administration)
We present the added costs for road users resulting from bad pavements on
the national road network, as well as added costs related to actual fish and
industry products transport in the Norwegian Vestland region. Documenting
these added costs can give road owners arguments and a basis for
illustrating the effects of insufficient funds, in the competition for funds
with other important public services. The extra costs of not doing
maintenance in time are included.
How could we strengthen decision makers' focus on road assets?
(Søren Fogh, Danish Road Directorate)
The backlog is a key factor in discussion between road administrations and
decision makers. Agreements on operations and maintenance funding are based
on analyses and scenarios for backlog devel-opment and they should be
continuously monitored, e.g. by results contracts. The road owner has a
central role both as an administration and in responsibility towards the
users. Media focus on the backlog can be useful in the debate on future
maintenance budgets.
Why is structural maintenance prioritised over investment projects in
Finland today?
(Eero Karjaluoto, former Director General, Finnish Road
Administration)
Over 60% of Finland's total public roads budget is used for structural
maintenance and maintaining road assets on the existing network. This is a
change, compared to the previouinvestment priorities of the 1990's. What
were the arguments and reasons for this change opolicy? What objectives
should it fulfil? What was the previous maintenance level and the impact of
the funding level and increasing traffic? What were the reactions in the
road administration to the change? Who has lost, and who gained, from the
policy change.
Panel debate: Main theme - Why is road maintenance not given the same
priority as for instance in Finland?
A debate with selected politicians, introduced by an overview of the Finnish
situation.
Scientific
Sessions on Monday 9 June:
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