Road works set to slow down summer traffic in Southern Finland

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Motorists are advised to be prepared for numerous road works in the summer, while some asphalt surfacing work on certain highways has already been started.
      In Southern Finland, the surfacing work that will be carried out near Lahti and along the Porvoo motorway (Highway 7) will disrupt the summer traffic most, assumes Jorma Helin from the Finnish Road Administration.
      Helin comments further that the motorists should also notice that some construction work will be done at the beginning of Highway 2 from Vihti to Pori, as well as at both ends of the western bypass road around Tampere.
     
In the Greater Helsinki area, approximately half of the existing surfaces of the main roads will be renewed in the course of the current year, reports Helin. Exceptionally, some of the work will be done during the night, as the traffic is very heavy during the day.
      In Eastern Finland, the surfacing work carried out on Highway 5 on both sides of the city of Kuopio will have the greatest impact on traffic.
      In Northern Finland, resurfacing on the long road section between Tornio and Muonio will be worth watching out for.
     
In the autumn, particularly the surfacing work of the Inner Ring Road ( Kehä I) in the Greater Helsinki area, as well as construction work on Highway 4 on the stretch between Heinola and Sysmä, will be likely to disrupt traffic and cause congestion.
      In the course of the current year, a total of 3,600 kilometres of road surface will be renewed, which is 200 kilometres fewer than last year.
      This is the second successive year when the number of kilometres set for repair will fall below under 4,000, which is the annual limit for sustainable road management, according to the Road Administration.
     
A total of EUR 140 million is to be used for the maintenance of roads this year. The sum is around EUR 10 million smaller than last year. Just under half of the funding is allocated for the resurfacing of roads, while around 40 per cent is reserved for basic improvement works.
      The map issued by the Finnish Road Administration shows the construction and surfacing projects on the main roads that will be carried out over the course of the current year.
      Motorists are urged to check the dates of the road works on the website of the Finnish Road Administration, at information points along the roads, or from the YLE teletext service (page 410 onwards).


Links:
  Finnish Road Administration

Helsingin Sanomat