Transport

After real processes of integration into the European Union had started, Lithuania joined the process of TINA (Transport Infrastructure Needs Assessment) realised in 1996-1999 on the initiative of the European Commission and at the beginning of 2002, like all other candidate countries, on the basis of the TINA network, put forward proposals con-cerning the expansion of the Trans-European network (TEN-T) into the Western European states. Therefore since the very re-establishment of Independence Lithuania has taken an active part in creating a common transport policy of European transport infrastructure.

First International Steps

In 1994 the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) were appealed to for granting a loan. On 29 August 1996 a loan agreement was signed with EBRD, and on 10 September 1996 a loan agreement was concluded with the World Bank. According to the loans agreements, the World Bank granted the loan totalling USD 14,2 million, and EBRD gave a loan of EUR 7,3 million to finance the Highway Project. At the beginning of 1997 these loans were started to be used and the Highway Project was commenced to be carried out. PHARE support totalling EUR 1,9 million was received to im-plement the project. Alongside the loans granted by the World Bank and EBRD, and PHARE support money allocated by the Road Fund was also used to finance the project. The total value of the project amounted to EUR 36,4 million.

In April 1998 negotiations between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Investment Bank on receiving a loan to finance the Lithuanian Gravel Road Project (a third large investment project) were held. In June of the same year a loan agreement was signed with the European Investment Bank. According to that project more than 930 kilometres of gravel roads were asphalted in Lithuania in 1998-2000.

These projects provided a powerful stimulus to developing pavement and bridge man-agement systems, modern planning and control technologies were implemented. Special sub-divisions were established at the Lithuanian Road Administration and the Transport and Road Research Institute, and specialists were chosen. Consultants hired by the international financ-ing institutions and PHARE took part in their training.

After Lithuania had joined the European Union, since 1 May 2004 money being allo-cated to the Member States by the Cohesion and Structural Funds became possible to be used for the development of the road sector.

Attention to the Roads and Safe Traffic

According to the requirements laid down in the 2004-2006 Single Programming Docu-ment, the Road Administration has implemented projects co-financed by the Road Mainte-nance and Development Programme (RMDP) and the European Union Structural Funds, that is, by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

One of the first projects financed from the EBRD funds was “Upgrading of Gravel Roads to Surfaced Roads 2004-2005”.

The Road Administration, having implemented the said project in 2004-2004, recon-structed (asphalted) 277 kilometres of gravel roads, improved communication between set-tlements and agricultural and administrative centres, decreased a negative impact on the envi-ronment, working expenses of the means of transportation, decreased expenditures on road maintenance and repair during the immediate 20 years. When implementing the project EUR 24,2 million of EBRD funds, EUR 4,8 million of co-financing of the Ministry of Communica-tion and Transport and EUR 12,7 million of the funds of the Road Maintenance and Devel-opment Programme was absorbed. Four out of five contracts were financed from the EBRD funds.

Having completed another project “Strengthening of National and Regional Road Pavements 2004-2005” financed from the European Union funds, 243,3 kilometres of national and regional road pavements were strengthened in all districts of the country. When implementing the project EUR 22,7 million of EBRD funds and EUR 29 million of the funds of the Road Maintenance and Development Programme were absorbed. Three out of five con-tracts were financed from the EBRD support funds.

With traffic intensity rapidly increasing, the necessity arose to strengthen and widen pavements of national roads because under heavy vehicles they quickly broke up. Surface processing technology is effective to restore small roads on which traffic intensity is low, however, more effective and expensive asphalt laying technologies are necessary to recon-struct the pavement on roads of high traffic intensity.

Investments in the regional road infrastructure enable traffic safety improvement meas-ures to be implemented, a negative impact on the environment to be reduced. Having imple-mented the safe traffic-engineering infrastructure, the number of accidents and people killed or injured on the roads, as well as losses incurred on the country’s economy due to accidents, have decreased.

There will be no lack of work in the future

Another programming period according to which support from the European Union Structural Funds will be allocated is between 2007 and 2013. The Lithuanian Strategy for the Use of European Union Structural Assistance for 2007-2013 establishes all the guidelines and requirements for that period. Lithuania will receive European Union structural assistance from the European Social, European Regional Development and the Cohesion Funds.

It is planned that during that period the Road Administration will be able to make use of European Union structural assistance to reconstruct roads of state significance for EUR 638 million.

“Upgrading of Gravel Roads to Surfaced Roads Programme”. During the period between 2007 and 2013 this programme will be implemented in three stages (two of them have already been completed). Between 2007 and 2009 a total of 572 kilometres of gravel roads were asphalted, EUR 100 million EBRD funds and EUR 48,8 million funds of the Road Maintenance and Development Programmes were absorbed. In 2010 it is planned to asphalt other 165 kilometres of gravel roads. EUR 53 million EBRD funds is planned to be allocated to that purpose.

“Development of Links with International Corridors”. This project is planned to be im-plemented in three stages. In the year 2007-2008, six and 8.1 kilometre-long road sections of main roads A14 Vilnius-Utena and A13 Klaipėda-Liepāja were reconstructed, also, in differ-ent regions of Lithuania 78,26 kilometre-long pavements of national and regional roads were strengthened and widened. 9.97 kilometre-long road pavements were strengthened and wid-ened in 2009. Other 41,53 kilometre-long road pavements will be strengthened and widened in 2010. A total value of projects is planned to be EUR 164,2 million.

“Implementation of Traffic Safety and Environment Protection Measures”. The project is planned to be implemented in three stages in 2007-2013. In the course of carrying out the project “black spots” (where crashes occur most often) on the roads will be done away with, four-sided crossings will be reconstructed into circular ones, pedestrian and cycle paths will be built, lighting will be installed, two-metre-high net fences, underground passages for wild and domesticated animals, as well as other traffic safety improvement and environment protection measures will be implemented. The implementation of the first stage was successfully completed in 2009. In 2010 it is planned to implement a new stage. A total value of all stages is EUR 27,1 million.

With the help of assistance from the European Union Cohesion Fund, in 2007-2013 it is planned to continue the reconstruction of VIA Baltic road, the reconstruction of the roads Vilnius-Panevėžys-Šiauliai – Palanga, Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda, Kaunas-Zarasai-Daugpilis, Ryga-Šiauliai-Tauragė-Kaliningradas, building of the Jakai crossing, the reconstruction of the Grigiškės transport junction (stage II), building of the Kairiai bypass and laying the southern bypass of the city of Vilnius (stage I).