Problem definition
The partner Municipalities identify a common pattern of imperfectly efficient sectors and infrastructures for the provision of public services that they provide, that is due to the over exploitation of non-modernized fixed assets, which convey extra costs for the population, the business activities, while at the same time
generate excessive environmental pressures and threats.
The overview of the regions of the partnership municipalities is highlighted of the Program document, in the context of common challenges that arise in remote, mountainous and sparsely populated areas.
The municipalities are covered by extensive mountainous areas, with scattered settlements and low population density, while the long bad road network and the insufficient density and quality of the road infrastructure increase the isolation and introversion of the areas, being an inhibiting factor of sustainable regional development.
The age of the municipal road network in combination with the limited own resources deprive the Municipalities of the possibility of road network upgrading and interventions are limited to specific and local actions.
In general about the municipal road network
The partner Municipalities identify a common pattern of imperfectly efficient sectors and infrastructures for the provision of public services that they provide, that is due to the over exploitation of non-modernized fixed assets, which convey extra costs for the population, the business activities, while at the same time
generate excessive environmental pressures and threats.
The overview of the regions of the partnership municipalities is highlighted of the Program document, in the context of common challenges that arise in remote, mountainous and sparsely populated areas.
The municipalities are covered by extensive mountainous areas, with scattered settlements and low population density, while the long bad road network and the insufficient density and quality of the road infrastructure increase the isolation and introversion of the areas, being an inhibiting factor of sustainable regional development.
The age of the municipal road network in combination with the limited own resources deprive the Municipalities of the possibility of road network upgrading and interventions are limited to specific and local actions.
Based on the above mentioned, investments for the improvement of road networks, focusing on a better road accessibility and connectivity as well as road safety measures are necessary.
The existing municipal road networks are poorly marked and unsafe, a problem that is exacerbated by adverse weather conditions during the winter. The main objective of the partners' operational planning is to create infrastructure that will provide safety for users.
Environmental view
One of the main objectives of the European Union for the current decade is to boost a more sustainable growth and hence to achieve specific goals: at least 55% by 2030 for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in comparison with 1990s levels, 11,70 % increase in energy efficiency and 23% of energy from renewables by 2030 .
Current figures need to be improved specially in the road construction sector which alone is responsible for more than 5% of GHG emissions generated in Europe (i.e. double of emissions emitted by aircrafts). However, road industry is developing technologies, products and procedures able to reduce greenhouse emissions, energy consumption and natural resources used for the construction and maintenance of the road network in Europe.
Approximately 90% of the work related to road infrastructure covers maintenance, reconstruction and upgrade of the network, while only 10% consists of building new roads mainly in new EU member states.
With a major part of the network built in the 1950s and 1960s and the need to ensure an infrastructure with a minimum safety and sustainable standards, work related to maintenance and upgrade will increase in coming years. These works which aim at improving mobility must minimize the environmental impact and
being much more efficient.
Nowadays, construction and maintenance of roads are performed considering only technical conditions without giving a main role to the environmental impact. Environmentally-friendly approaches are required, both in terms of climate change mitigation and climate neutrality in the use of the road network, as well as in terms of infrastructure response and resilience to climate change phenomena. In this context, it is necessary to strengthen the operational capacity of partners with new tools for the reduction of the environmental impact of road construction and maintenance, and to limit the consumption of natural resources and reduce construction costs.
