This study deals with a method of traffic infrastructure management, in which it is possible to take into consideration the demands set by the road users. In this study these demands of the road network users have been compared to the traffic conditions in different parts of the road network by applying and further developing this method. The purpose of this study was to define insufficient road network conditions from the standpoint of the road user, in the other words the undersupply situations on the road network. Additionally the purpose was to specify the improvement requirements of the road network especially from the aspect of road maintenance.The most important factors of freight transport are cost efficiency and punctuality. The road network demands of freight transport were determined by defining the parts of the road network where there is a lot of transportation requiring cost efficiency or punctuality. Also the parts of the road network where the annual volume of freight is over 2,5 million tons were determined. The amount of freight on the low volume road network was estimated on the basis of the raw wood quantity delivered by the forestry companies. The parts of the road network were classified according to their amount of passengers. On the basis of this classification the road network parts of high demand level were determined. A time variation of traffic was estimated by using the information produced by the traffic monitoring system maintained by the Finnish National Road Administration. On the basis of the analysis most of the passenger traffic occurs during daytime in the summer months. The greatest amount of freight traffic occurs at night-time during the wintertime. According to this, night-time maintenance should be more efficiently taken into consideration in the planning of the winter road maintenance. Maintenance level, traffic capacity and traffic safety were considered in the process of specifying the traffic conditions of the road network.
The present research has ascertained the effects in industrial and regional structure on the overall volume of freight transport, on quality and on location in the main traffic network. On the basis of an estimate of the future needs for transportation the actions for the maintenance and development of transport infrastructure in the short term and the long term have been outlined. Prognoses suggest that within 25 years the turnover in wholesale and retail trade will grow from 500 mrd. FIM to 900 mrd. FIM. Moreover, the industrial structure will be altered by the shift in emphasis from basic industry in the direction of hi-tech industry. The turnover of industry producing goods with a high degree of processing will rise from 200 mrd. FIM. To 450 mrd. FIM, while basic industry will grow from 200 mrd. FIM to some 300 mrd. FIM. At the end of the 1990's, due the change in the industrial structure and the overall growth of production, the ton mileage of road, rail and sea transport has clearly not grown apace with GNP. The growth prognoses by field and the special features of goods flows and modes of transport suggest that the development will tend to be the same in coming decades. By the year 2025 GNP is expected to grow 77%, the ton mileage of road transport by 55%, of rail transport by 20% and the amount of goods transported by sea by 35%. The amount of international air cargo is expected to increase threefold. In the coming decades the demands on freight transport are likely to be stricter than at present, especially with regard to punctuality, but also with regard to time of delivery. On the other hand, the importance of cost-efficiency will remain the same. Because of the steady increase in the amount of cost-effective transport it will be important both in the long-term and the short-term to ensure the structural condition of the road network through maintenance measures and compensatory investments. The cost-effectiveness of transport on the rail network will be ensured by maintaining and upgrading the structural condition. Dredging will called for to maintain the seaways. Taking the long-term view, the greatest need for development will centre on the road network. The major growth in the volume of road transport and the demand for punctuality and speed will mean that for the main road connections, the ring roads of the main growth centres and the routes within the Helsinki metropolitan area to the airport and seaports fluent traffic conditions will need to be ensured, if necessary by means of expansion and new investments. Furthermore, to increase the efficiency of the freight transport system there will be a need to intensify considerably the strategic co-operation between transport customers and transport enterprises. This report is available at http://www.mintc.fi
