Roads to be repaired in about a century, experts say

In Ukraine by 2018 the level of financing the road industry will reach the 46 billion UAH per year, according to the Director of the State Road Research Institute Vasyl Nahaychuk, the SRI informs.

"Last year, road services did roadway replacement of 1,600 km of Ukrainian roads. Of all the networks in the 170 sq km makes a mere 1%. At these rates we will finish putting in order Ukrainian roads in 100 years. Every year, we need to do major overhaul of 15 thousand km. such volumes can be covered with annual financing of no less than 40 billion UAH. This year, the road services will receive a little over 16 billion UAH. However, according to the concept of target program for road infrastructure by 2018, starting from next year, the funding will increase. By 2018 we will reach 40-46 billion a year", V. Nahaychuk said.

According to the expert, main sources of increase in funding will be introduction of tolls on public roads for heavy transport, concessionaire investment, borrowings, penalties for exceeding loading rates, and a gradual increase in excise duty, lowest in Europe.

He also said that the patch repair is used worldwide, but only if the destruction has undergone no more than 5-10% of the road surface. In Ukraine patch repair works have gone on such a significant extent in view of limited funding. The road has to be patched to ensure safe passage on the roads. When patching repairs are no longer effective, current average repair is done. Funding cannot cover anything that goes beyond the said measures.