This report gives a general view of the Latvian road network. Most roads have low traffic volume, i.e. roads with gravel crushed stone on stabilized soil (dirt) pavements. The total length of these roads is 12 579 kilometres. At present only secondary attention is paid to these roads in Latvia. Main concern is given to roads with asphalt pavement the total length of which is 7 823 km. Since 1990 repairs of gravel pavements practically are not carried out due to the lack of finances. At the same time in the scope of the World Bank Loan Project it is planned to experiment with some new technologies such as: stabilization of gravel pavements with calcium chloride; stabilization of gravel pavements with bitumen emulsions. With these methods the lifetime of gravel roads is expected to increase at least partly. In order to acquire financing for roads in the whole and for low volume roads in particular Latvian government has planned to increase the excise tax on fuel gradually in the period of next five years. (A)
Abstract