Planned road network developments in the Baltic Sea region

Abstract

The political, social and economic upheavals in Eastern Europe and, to some extent, the recent accession of certain Scandinavian countries to full European Union (EU) membership have resulted in continuing dynamic changes in the features of trade and transport supply within the Baltic Sea region. In certain states in the region, transport infrastructure has proved inadequate for the emerging situation, having been developed under conditions of intensely centralized policy constraints. The most effective institutional catalyst for infrastructure development in the region is now the EU. A major priority within its policy for transport is the transfer of goods from road to more environmentally sustainable modes, especially short‐sea shipping. Paradoxically, the EU's proposed development of a Trans‐European motorway system simultaneously creates both opportunities and problems for the short‐sea ship operator; while hinterland access to ports is improved, parallel coastal road connections are enhanced. Improvements to the motorway networks have been planned for a couple of decades, but have not been acted upon due to a lack of capital for investment. In many cases, even the adequate maintenance of existing infrastructure was beyond the means of certain states. With the opening up and increased market orientation of Central and East European economies, plans for major transport infrastructure developments have moved much closer to implementation. The emergence of novel and diverse sources of capital has also led to proposals for new projects. Although these projects, by their very nature, will take a number of years to be realized, the characteristics of road supply in the region, will be very different a decade from now. As a preliminary element of a wider study into the competitive position of short‐sea snipping in the Baltic Sea, the purpose of this paper is: firstly, to analyse the current level of major road supply in Poland, the Russian Federation and the Baltic States; secondly, to outline the major planned developments in the region and to evaluate the progress made towards their realization; and thirdly, to illustrate the diverse range of organizations, institutions and financial interest groups concerned with infrastructure developments in the area.