Finland strengthens northern roads – but reconstructing roads in the Arctic is no easy task

Finland is currently investing heavily in infrastructure in both the North and the East. The Finnish region of Lapland is of considerable geopolitical importance and is also performing economically better than many other parts of the country. This has paved the way for a number of investments, particularly in the transport network.

However, building roads in the High North can be challenging. Recently, Yle reported that a 4,2-kilometre stretch of Finland’s National Road 21 (European Highway 8) had been completely rebuilt and reopened last October. The section in question runs between Kilpisjärvi and Ailakkalahti, where there is no alternative route. Yet only a few months later, the same stretch once again offers a distinctly bumpy ride – so what happened?

Investigations are under way, but apparently water – possibly caused by frost or melting ice – has led to several large bumps forming in the road surface. As a result, the speed limit has now been reduced to 60 kilometres per hour. The road is scheduled to be repaired again this summer.

The reconstruction cost €5 million, or roughly €1 million per kilometre. Whether the project was a complete waste of money, and who will ultimately cover the cost of the repairs, remains unclear.

Finnish Highway 21, also known as the E8 – or, more poetically, the “Road of the Four Winds” – is of major importance not only to Finland, but also to the EU.

It is one of Finland’s main transport corridors and forms part of the Trans-European TEN-T network.Highway 21 is the route through which troops and military equipment would enter Finland from the North, if necessary. It connects Finland – and Europe more broadly – to northern Norwegian ports. It follows the Finnish-Swedish border from Tornio, via Ylitornio, Pello, Kolari and Muonio, all the way to Kilpisjärvi near the Norwegian border.

At present, the road is at least seven meters wide up to Palojoensuu, but from there to Kilpisjärvi it is more narrow. The aim is to widen it, perhaps to eight or nine meters. This would require amendments to legislation concerning wetlands.

“The road is good from Tornio up to Kolari and to Muonio, but from Palojoensuu to Kilpisjärvi it is difficult,” says Magnus Nygård, Director of Projects at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto). “We need to make it wider and also improve the geometry of the road, straightening out sharp bends. There are hills and slopes, but you also need to follow the natural landscape.”

A vital transport route in creaking condition

On the Norwegian side, the nearest village to Kilpisjärvi is Skibotn, home to what can be an important harbour, connecting Finland to the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic.

Highway 21 is Finland’s main link to the economic regions of Tromsø and Finnmark. The Norwegian fishing industry increasingly relies on the road, with large volumes of Norwegian salmon transported south via Highway 21. It is therefore the key route for heavy transport between Finland and Norway, as well as an important artery for tourism.

But the road is old, and the traffic is heavy. Finland also permits heavier freight vehicles on its roads than Norway, for instance, meaning that lorries weighing up to 76 tonnes are allowed on Finnish roads. That is becoming too much for Highway 21.

Today, the road has become a crucial part of Finland’s network for security of supply and emergency preparedness.

You might not guess that from its condition. The road has been described as a nightmare. It is narrow and marked by bumps, dips and potholes. At present, it does not meet the standards expected of a major highway.

“The road has been in poor condition for a long time,” says Olli Mourujärvi, Acting Head of Department at the Economic Development Centre of Lapland (Lapin Elinvoimakeskus).

“The road itself is in bad shape, and it is too narrow. Lorries have been sliding off the road for years”, he adds.

Heavy goods vehicles frequently slide off the highway during winter. As a result, the road can sometimes be blocked for hours. The nearest alternative route is 450 kilometres long.

Currently, a 16-kilometre stretch of Highway 21 between Palojoensuu and Kuttanen is undergoing reconstruction. The original budget was €30 million, but in April, when the Finnish government approved its budget framework, additional funding was allocated to the project section Palojoensuu-Jatuni due to military considerations.

€112 million more to roads, railroads and bridges

Finland is feverishly investing in roads, bridges, harbours and railways. In April, some €112 million was allocated to various infrastructure projects, and further funding to improve military mobility was promised for the autumn.

Not every infrastructure project is public, but the section of Highway 21 between Palojoensuu and Jatuni is.

How much funding the road will ultimately receive will be decided by the Finnish Parliament later this spring.

“We do not yet know how much additional funding the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency will receive for the reconstruction,” says Mourujärvi.

Whether those 30 kilometres will be rebuilt in a way that keeps the highway in good condition for more than just a few months remains to be seen.

And even after that, there will still be roughly 120 kilometres of deteriorating road along Highway 21 left to repair.