Developing a road infrastructure, that provides high quality services, and possibilities for having it financed by its users.

Dr. István Kernya
Baranya County

Objective of the work:

· providing an overall view on the traffic policy relations and the existing and planned main network elements of the regions and counties of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community,
· processing the received information in a unified system and in a form that - as far as possible - is treateble by all regions,
· taking into consideration the realities of practice
· Providing appropriate framework for the professional analysis, that deals with the traffic infrastructure.

Working conditions:

It is a task with different difficulties in the different regions to obtain the data needed for preparing the traffic investigation. The delegates of the certain regions declared their willingness for the co-operation, but there was not completely realised a unified level data providing.

Concept of the investigation:

The volumes of the national and regional resources that could be used for maintaining and improving the traffic infrastructure in the present economic situation differ from one another in the certain regions.
The traffic related investments require large amounts of capital, the return period is long and the rate of return is low.
Consequently, that the most important element of the new traffic related investments is the ability to be financed.
In this study we provide an overview on the national and regional level traffic policy principles and priorities of the regions represented in the Working Community, taking into consideration the Trans-European traffic development concept of the European Union and the principles of the Helsinki All-European Traffic Conference held on 23rd-25th of June, 1997.

Main principles of the All-European traffic development:

· There will be a fair and free competition with the open national markets,
· there will be realised a multi-mode approach,
· the frontiers will be accessible and the budget policies will support the harmonised complex traffic development,
· help will be given to the international transport flows in the main traffic corridors,
· the international financial institutions should be take a role in providing resources for development (EBRD, EIB)

It can be seen on the enclosed illustration, that the main corridors serve the European grand regional relations. The aim of this study is to create the harmonisation of the fast regional and local plans with the grand regional network developments in the regions of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community.

BAVARIA

The Bavarian Government approved the document titled as General Bavarian Traffic Development Plan 1994. on 5th of July , 1994. In this, the following traffic policy objectives came to the front:
· traffic must be reorganised for less environment polluting traffic means
· environment friendly and energy saving traffic and traffic means must be applied
· the certain traffic networks must be organised optimally, taking into consideration the traffic rationalisation
· taking actions for ceasing the unnecessary traffic

The Bavarian Government considers it to be the most important, that the traffic policy actions must support the equal living conditions in the different areas of the region.
The Bavarian public administration took the following actions on the field of road construction:
· ensuring the continuity of the intercity road network, ceasing the bottle-neck
· ceasing the accident focal points
· constructing the city by-pass sections

  From the personal road traffic the proportion of those who drive passenger cars was 82% in 1992. According to the predictions, the volume of passengers cars will increase by 13% until 2005. The average annual travel performance was 13,000 km per passenger car in 1992. Previously it showed a declining tendency, but lately it changed to an insignificant extent. The road transportation traffic (without transit traffic) increased by 128% between 1972 and 1992 with respect to the long distances, and by 53% with respect to the short distances. Thus, the total road transport of goods - in domestic transport of goods - increased to 82% in 1992 from the 71% in 1975. According to the predictions, the road transport of goods will increase by 26% on long distances and by 20% on short distances.

The intercity road network is 41,557 km, from this 2138 km is motorway, 7031 km is regional Route, 13815 km is state-owned road and 18574 km is local road. Compared to the status in 1985., the motorway and the local road experienced a 16.4% and a 4.1% increase, respectively. The intercity roads are financed only from fuels.
From regional aspect there is an urgent necessity for improving further the traffic relations.

AUSTRIA
Styria, Upper-Austria, Burgenland, Karinthia, Salzburg
 
The road network of Austria reached a very high quality level. They put the new investments under a strong critics, because it was proved, that it results in undesirable increase in traffic (transit transport). However it does not mean, that the region would have given up the individual road constructions.
The maintenance of the road network being in progress is an essential duty, considering the fast realisation of the environmentally favourable traffic network.
The most important ones of them are as follows:
· constructing the roads bypassing the settlements, by this the harms originating from the traffic can be considerably reduced,
· taking out the places dangerous in terms of accidents (eg. central islands)
· forming the roads within the settlements in a way to fit them in the environment
· noise protection actions (eg. noise protecting walls, etc.)
· establishing technical traffic watching systems for the car drivers

 
The problems concentrate in the Linz-Wels region. The solution of the matter is being searched in the construction of the missing section of the A-Pyhrn motorway and the connection of the Motorways No. A-8 and A-9. It is an important consideration to build the western Motorway No. A-1. to be 6 lanes motorway. The comprehensive traffic concept schedules, that the existing road infrastructure must be improved only if there no other alternative. By this the loading of the inhabitants caused by the road traffic can be reduced. In order to achieve this goal, they work on different planning and realising projects.
By the opening of the eastern frontiers, more crossing points came into being. This makes important to meet the demand for new type of frontier road network both towards Hungary and Slovenia.
Through the X. European Traffic Corridor Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Villach join in a new type of traffic relation system.

CROATIA

  In the Croatian traffic development, it created a new situation, that the Traffic Workshop of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community has a meeting in Zagreb one or two times a year. The Working Community of the Danube Regions held a meeting also in Zagreb on 13th-15th of May, 1997.
The strategic objectives of the Croatian traffic development and planning are as follows:
· developing and improving the traffic relation with the European neighbour countries, with the consideration, that the Croatian traffic network must fit in the European traffic network,
· The 10 year motorway programme of Croatia and the development of the road plans (1996-2005) are connected organically to the Hungarian and Slovenian developments. The Hungarian section of the European Traffic Corridor No. V/b. is linked to the Croatian and Slovenian developments in the area of Lenti-Letenye. The Hungarian section of the North-South Trans European Traffic Corridor No. V/c. is connected to the Croatian road network system in the area of Udvar (Ivándárda).
· The traffic development of Croatia is supported by the West-East Corridor No. X.
· Developing environment respecting traffic means (shipping, railway, combined traffic)
· Developing the Adriatic Sea harbours, with respect to the numbers of the Central European sea trans-ship places for goods and the Danube regions.
· Constructing the Danube - Sava river way.

HUNGARY
Baranya, Somogy, Zala, Gyor-Sopron, Vas counties

In Hungary several studies, regional plans and projects were made, which intended to serve the development of certain regions of the country, the acceleration of regional development or the equalisation of the regional disadvantages.
In Hungary due to the social and economic state of the past actions, the necessary developments did not take place on the road network or were performed only to a small extent. The conditions deteriorated further, that already caused everyday social tensions.

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The traffic portfolio recognised this and prepared its development program draft plan for the National Road Network for the years 1991-2000, which is under revision at present.
The new programme, beside meeting the development requirements deriving from the international and national traffic, is striving for reducing the road network differences between the counties. An essential element of the program is to build and finish the main motorway networks that ensures international relations (M 1, M 15, M 3, M 5, M 7), the programme for modernising the crossing points and to build the 10-15 sections for bypassing settlements.
The Helsinki All-European Traffic Conference held on 23rd-25th of June, 1997., gave new impulse for the road network development, because it granted Traffic Corridors to Hungary (IV, V/b, V/c, X/a, and VII. Danube Corridor).Within the territory of the Alps-Adriatic Working Community, 3 of them concerns the Hungarian region:

· V/b. In the region of Lenti-Letenye it goes towards Slovenia and Croatia
· V/C In the region of Udvar towards Croatia, the Routes No. 6 and 56 are put on new lane (Budapest - Mohács - region of Udvar - Beli Monostir - Osijek - Sarajevo - Ploce). It is projected to finish by 2007. The Mohács Danube Bridge is connected to this with an Y fork turn-off towards Serbia.
· Danube Corridor No. VII.

The construction of the road section bypassing Barcs and leading to the Drava Bridge is finished. The planned modernisation of the Beremend road and crossing point opens new traffic opportunities towards Croatia.
Baranya, Somogy, Zala, Vas and Gyor counties with their Croatian, Slovenian and Austrian traffic relations are important links of the international traffic, and they become centres of the national and international investments.

SLOVENIA

One of the resolutions of the Slovenian administration is that with the help of the state traffic policy the traffic conditions can be ensured in a most favourable way. Its task is to prepare the professionally established national road network developments, that provides foundation for the present and future.
The road developments must be in the service of the interest of the national economy in a way, that they cause the least harm in the environment and in the settlements.
Because of the increase in the Slovenian traffic demands and motorization there is a need for improvement.
For the purpose of developing the traffic networks the V. and X. traffic corridors passing through the country also serve this objective. On the roads, railways of Slovenia, in air and on rivers and sea 2 million people participate in traffic and 72 tons of goods are carried. For this there is 15,000 km long road, 1200 km long railway, airports and harbours are available.
The roads bypassing the settlements are continuously increasing. In addition to the sea traffic, Slovenia put a strong emphasis on improving the infrastructure of roads bordering with the neighbour countries.

ITALY
Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Gulia, Emilio-Romagna, Trentino-Südtirol, Ticino

Veneto region is crossed over by several road corridor, one of them is the "Central Drum" (Rome-Bologne-Verona-Brennero), and the other one is the "Eastern Link" (Rome-Cesena-Venezia-Tarvisio). As a consequence, the geographical connection of Veneto region arranges a very busy transit traffic between North and South, which comes from Central Europe and passing through the Brennero mountain pass diverges in the Veneto region and goes towards the Adriatic Sea, the Tirren Sea then towards Central and North Italy. By opening the frontiers a very busy motion became typical there.

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The East-West relations show a very strong development in the past years after the political opening.
With regard to Veneto region, the Brenner mountain pass (new tunnel) the North Adriatic co-ordinated harbour system, and the area among the Veneto harbours have great importance. With special respect to the Development Plans accepted in 1990 and 1992, the relation system of Veneto region with the Italian and European regions bordering the other regions has a fundamental importance.
The P.T.R.C., as far as the East-West and North-South busy traffic roads providing international and national services are concerned, highlights the development of the primary, already existing infrastructures, and the establishment of the East-West and North-South possible routes.

North-South Route

Roads connecting the Brennero mountain pass.
The reaching of the Brennero mountain pass is provided by the Verona-Brenner Motorway No. 22. despite the fact that there is a very high traffic quota there (more than 20 thousands passenger cars). In addition to this there is also planned to connect this main traffic road to the "Tirren" motorway.

Trento-Venezia section

This section includes the "Valsugana" road No. SS 47 and the "Castellana" road No. SS 245.

Road towards Germany
The connections between the more distant regions and the international routes, which touch the Central-Veneto region, with special respect to Venezia City, are under serious consideration. This road programme (connection of Venezia city) includes the considerable improvement of roads No. SS 51 and SS 51 bis. The modernisation of the route stretching towards Dobbiaco Toblak with a dual carriageway is under planning.

Venezia/Mestre-Adriatic-Ravenna Route

The Route No. SS 309 is exposed to a heavy fluctuation of goods transport, which primarily appears in the local, but also in the tourist and trade mobility. On this section a repair work planned. Another important road is the Road No. SS 495, that leads up to the Adriatic.

East-West Routes

The Verona-Venezia Route and its exit roads
The East-West Route primarily includes the Motorway No. 4 (Milano-Venezia-Triest), to which the Road No. SS 11 (North Po) is connected to Mestre, and then the roads towards Friuli-Venezia Gulia regions are diverged from this.
An especially heavy traffic characterises primarily the Verona-Venezia road section (the motorway No. 4, where the annual traffic equals to 60,000 passenger cars) and the final section of the Padova-Venezia motorway.
· Solving the problem of the ring-road passing through Mestre
· establishing the straightening section-network of the motorways crossing over Verona City
· Equalising the road section of Vicenza City that is connected to the Southern Motorway

For the best accessibility of the Route No. SS 14 running parallel with the Motorway No. 4. the following actions were planned:
· the version towards S.Michele al Tagliamento-Latisana and Portoguaro
· the version of the southern section of S.Doná di Piave, with connection to the exit of the new Meolo motorway (A4) towards Eraclea, Jesolo and Trevisio

For the improving of Routes No. SS 13 and 53 running towards the Friuli region, the following actions are required:
· Building the ring-road of Mestre and the new road section of Route No. SS 53.
· Enlarging of the ring-road of Terviso

The Motorways called "Autostrada Pedemontana" (At foot of the Alps) and No. 31.

One of the most important issues of the road network of Veneto region is the construction of the Veneto APV motorway, that establishes connection between motorways No. A 4, A 31, and A 27. The realisation of this new motorway infrastructure will be proceeded until 2004, and with this an opportunity will be opened for establishing connections with the Routes No. 28 and 23 in Friuli region.
In addition, the following plans will be realised:
· Enlarging the road sections of A 31 beyond Piovene Rocchette towards Val Lagirana and Rovereto City
· Improving the connecting road between Vicenza and Marostica
· Ro-Ro Pier to be established on River Piave
· continuation of the road section with motorway feature between Conegliano and Pordenone

In addition to the developments of drum road section stretching beyond the Alps, the south-eastern and south-western road sections have also an extremely high importance.
Attention must be paid to the extended road network connected to Lombardia region, the Routes running towards Cremona-Montana-Legnano-Rovigo-Asdriatic Sea (No. SS 443. and SS 449.), which were enlarged with a new motorway section (Parma and Nogarole Rocca).

SUMMARY

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGIONS

1.) Planning and constructing bypassing road sections
2.) Prioritising environment protecting planning
3.) Improving the crossing points
4.) Improving the road networks that leads to the crossing points
5.) The in average 10 year scheduling of the road infrastructure developments
6.) Soonest adoption of the Helsinki recommendations on the Trans-European road network developments in the own country