Riga, 11 May 2020 - The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development will already launch an investment programme to organize state roads within the framework of an administrative territorial reform this year. As a result of the crisis caused by Covid-19, the additional funding allocated to heating the economy is available, in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport (MOU), to repair 166 kilometres of road, thereby making an even more significant contribution to reducing regional inequalities and promoting development.
Minister Juris Pūce (AP!): “The government's support for local reform and the additional €75 million for road construction in the wake of the crisis in Covid-19 allows the development of national regional and local roads to be started immediately and the opportunity to re-establish roads for an additional length of 166 kilometres.”
Road renewal work will continue in the coming years, with A proposal to invest around 300 million in road renewal in 2021-2023 euro, renewing the total length of road sections of 865 kilometres, supported in the context of the information report on the Investment Programme for Road Development in the context of Administratively Territorial Reform.
The roads will be organised in accordance with the developed renewable State road map, which has been developed in cooperation with the planning regions, municipalities and the “Latvian State Roads” of the VAS.
Considering that the development of the national road network is linked to administrative breakdown, targeted road development is an important priority for the successful implementation of the administratively territorial reform, an urgent contribution to improving the daily lives of the population: ensuring better access to municipal administrative centres and improving access to services, jobs and essential pre-conditions provided by the public and local authorities. strengthening economic and regional development.
Regional mobility and road settlement are one of the areas to be supported under the “Regional Policy Guidelines for 2021-2027”, which is part of a package of measures to boost regional competitiveness and reduce regional development disparities.
Other information:
Agnese Vārpiņa
Minister's Councillor for Communications and Public Relations
Ministry for Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Tel. 67026478
e-mail: agnese.varpina@varam.gov.lv