Slovakia's first-class roads are on average 20 years old. (source: SITA)
ON APRIL 23, the cabinet approved a draft plan for maintenance of first-class roads through 2010.
The plan estimates that maintenance across Slovakia in 2008 will cost Sk1 billion. For each of the following two years, Sk1.930 billion has been earmarked, SITA wrote.
However, the outline of the state budget matched the Sk1 billion for this year, but allocated only Sk1.030 billion for 2009 and 2010.
Transport Minister Ľubomír Vážny reported after the cabinet's session that the ministry would like to receive the additional Sk900 million because the outline would only insure basic maintenance.
First-class roads in Slovakia average over 20 years old. Unless funding for maintenance changes, as many as 45 percent of the roads will be deemed unfit by 2014, the ministry pointed out.
Due to insufficient maintenance, more and more sections of first-class roads are in need of repair, which significantly increases the costs.
