The state plans to both repair roads and stimulate the economy by earmarking another NOK 600 million (USD 57 million) for projects to be spread evenly throughout the country.
Transport Minister Knut Arild Hareide of the Christian Democrats told state broadcaster NRK this week that the state highway department (Statens vegvesen) had settled on NOK 188 million for projects in its eastern district, NOK 78 million in the south and NOK 130 million in the southwest. Central Norway will get NOK 73 million and Northern Norway 132 million.
Another NOK 300 million will be used on other transport projects, all of them aimed at addressing maintenance needs. “We have chosen projects that we can start promptly,” Bjørn Laksforsmo of Statens vegvesen told NRK, adding that the work can be performed by both small- and medium-sized businesses that may be especially hurting during the national economic downturn.
Maintenance needs are greatest in Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordance, Møre og Romsdal, Nordland and Troms, with Hareide saying there would be “more opportunities” to launch additional projects in those regions later.
newsinenglish.no staff
