Many important roads go through high mountain areas. Several of these roads are located higher than 1,000 m above sea level. The traffic is normally moderate, with annual average daily traffic of
1,000–2,000 vehicles. There are no motorways in high mountain areas. In addition to important transport routes we have several small roads in the mountains. These are used in connection with hunting, fishing and outdoor leisure activities.
Road versus untouched nature
The assessment of road projects is done step by step. The need for a new road is assessed in a concept analysis. The impacts on environment and society are assessed by an impact study. The location and design of the alignment route will be assessed by master plan and detail design. Building roads in untouched mountain areas is debated. Gradually, Norway has few huge wilderness areas left. The local society often wants roads to support local trade and industry, while the greater society wants untouched nature.
Roads in the mountains are visible at a great distance. The road ought to be adjusted to the landscape. Special challenges are bridges, tunnel portals etc. In vulnerable areas the road may be constructed with a reduced standard. In magnificent mountain landscapes it may turn out to be correct, also aesthetically, to construct a high road standard with gentle curvatures so that the road is in harmony with the rhythm of the
landscape. Immigration of natural vegetation alongside new roads should be prepared for aesthetical reasons and in order to prevent erosion.
In steep terrain a tunnel is a possible, but expensive solution. In Norway there are 1,000 road tunnels. Most of them are short ones, but the longest one is almost 25 km. Tunnels are road-safe and environmentally sound, but they are also a challenge. The tunnels are different from open-air because of road and light conditions,
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because it is difficult to judge uphill/downhill and distance, and because tunnels have different requirements on the alert. Tunnels may be uncomfortable, often forbidden, for pedestrians and cyclists. Tunnels are often built as a safeguard against landslides. Norway has approximately 1,000 avalanches a year; avalanches of stone, earth and snow.
Protecting the wildlife
The roads bring cars and people into the mountains and this causes pedestrian traffic and wear and tear of the terrain. In vulnerable
landscapes worthy of protection we try to administer the use of nature by preparing fixed stops, fixed footpaths etc. There are few traffic limitations in Norwegian nature; instead we use positive measures, not prohibition. We have legislation for protection of particularly valuable
nature. Motor traffic in outfields (snow scooters etc.) is as a rule not permitted, but exceptions are made.
Ought roads to be kept open in winter? This is an important topic in Norway. By all-the-year-round road we do not mean that the road is open continuously, but that it will open again after each snow storm.
These roads can often be a strain on animal life. An example of this is the wild reindeer population in a mountain area called Hardangervidda. Our biologists think that the road crossing Hardangervidda (which
is normally kept open in winter) is a problem for the wild reindeers. The animals have problems crossing the road while hunting for food, either because of car traffic or because of tall snow banks.
Building roads with regards to snow
The location and design of the road is of great importance for snowploughing. Because of wind the snow settles unevenly,
with snowdrifts in some places and little snow in other places. If the road is built in a location where there is little snow, the cost of snowploughing can be reduced. The choice of alignment route is made
after thorough inspections in winter. One can also learn a lot in summer about snow conditions, since the snow conditions influence the vegetation. We try to avoid safety fences that create snowdrifts on the lee side. We prefer to give the road a simple and curved design so that the snow can easily blow away.
In general we see an increasing interest for environmental themes in Norway both in connection with emission, biological multitude and nature conservation. In the mountain areas we often have to make difficult choices between environment and traffic flow.
Tor J. Smeby, NPRA, Norway
Contact:
Tor J. Smeby |
