The overall goal in Swedish transport policy is to ensure an efficient and sustainable transport system. This means sustainability from a social, economic and ecological point of view. To improve the present planning system, which is based on cost-benefit analysis, the Swedish National Road Administration (SNRA) is currently developing new methods based on target-oriented planning. Key elements in this are to identify the needs and demands of road users as well as the demands implicit in the concept of sustainable development. Cost-benefit analysis takes several key factors into account. However, it does not include the fair distribution of wealth or several other important aspects, such as regional development, social coherence or impact on environments of natural and cultural value. In order to improve the planning system and achieve better results in both new road construction and road maintenance, targets and indicators are currently being developed for these aspects. This paper deals with one of these projects and involves natural and cultural heritage values. The project was launched in 1998 and the primary aim was to find a workable structure that allowed for overall goals and measures on the national level without jeopardising the need for local adaptations. The solution became planning based on quality standards. National goals for roads are broken down into clear targets and criteria for different situations. The local situation and local knowledge are included and the output is project targets. The resulting road is subsequently monitored and checked against the project targets to determine whether the quality standard has been met. At a national level, the percentage of roads meeting the quality standard can be seen as an indicator of progress. Existing roads can also be examined in order to audit the need for improvement. The method is currently being tested in actual road projects in order to determine the need for further development. The intention is for the method to be developed by 2005. It is believed that it will provide a more structural approach to facilitate the inclusion of natural and cultural heritage values in the road planning process, and that it will be a good complement to cost-benefit analyses and environmental impact assessments. Early indications also show that it can facilitate the planning process and allow for a constructive dialogue with authorities and organisations that promote natural and cultural heritage values. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448.
Abstract