The Norwegian Public Roads Administration - StatRes (discontinued), 2009

The total state road expenditures of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration were almost NOK 27.7 billion in 2009, according to the figures for state resource use calculated by Statistics Norway. This is an increase of NOK 4.4 billion from 2008. The investments of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration increased by NOK 2.8 billion from 2008 to 2009, while the contracting expenses for operating and maintenance services on state roads increased by approximately NOK 1 billion.

Additional funds following the financial crisis

The increase in expenditures in 2009 was partly due to additional budget appropriations of NOK 2.3 billion for the improvement and development of state roads following the recent financial crisis. The additional funds amounted to NOK 1.4 billion for state road investments, NOK 810 million for traffic inspection and operating and maintenance services, and NOK 60 million for road slide safety measures.

Investments made up half the budget

As a whole, the total investments of NOK 14.6 billion amounted to more than half of the total state road expenditures in 2009. The contracting expenses for operating and maintenance services on state roads of NOK 5.1 billion made up slightly more than 20 per cent of the total expenditures of NOK 27.7 billion. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration also managed NOK 3.5 billion for county roads in 2009, making the total funds managed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration about NOK 31.2 billion in 2009.

Increased construction, same share of poor surfaces

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration opened 157 kilometres of state roads for traffic in 2009; an increase from 128 kilometres in 2008. A total of 75 kilometres of the state roads opened for traffic in 2009 were four-lane roads. The share of state roads with poor or very poor road surface remained at 42 per cent in 2009, following a gradual increase in this share in recent years.

More central barriers and increased slide protection

A total of 20 kilometres of central barriers were built on two- and three-lane state roads in 2009; an increase of 14 kilometres of central barriers from 2008, but about the same as in 2007. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration improved 58 road spots and sections exposed to slides in 2009; a fairly sizeable increase from the two previous years.

Fewer killed or severely injured in road traffic

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration carried out 726 000 safety belt inspections in 2009; about 192 000 more than in 2008. The inspections revealed that 93 per cent of the people inspected outside built-up areas used safety belts, while the share of people who used safety belts within built-up areas was 89 per cent. A total of 963 people were killed or severely injured in road traffic accidents in Norway in 2009, which is fewer than in the three previous years.

More noise, less dust pollution

Estimates by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration indicate that about 9 400 residents lived in areas that were exposed to indoor noise levels from state road traffic of more than 40 dB in 2009; an increase of 800 persons compared with 2008. At the same time, about 10 000 residents were exposed to daily mean concentration levels of dust from state road traffic exceeding national goals; a decrease of 2 700 people from the previous year. The number of residents living in areas exposed to concentration levels of nitrogen dioxide from state road traffic exceeding national goals was reduced by 1 400 persons in the same period.

1 150 decares of farmland converted to roads

A total of 1 150 decares of farmland were converted for transport use due to state road construction in 2009; an increase from 615 decares in 2008. However, this only constitutes about two per cent of the total reduction of fully cultivated land in the same period, according to the agricultural area statistics compiled by Statistics Norway. A total of three decares of cultural environments were lost or reduced in value because of state road construction in 2009, while encroachments were made in three decares of land in or close to national reserves.