The following duties are handled under the Transport and Infrastructure area of responsibility:
Road maintenance
In road management conducted by ELY Centres, the focus is on road maintenance. Road maintenance primarily secures road usability on a day-to-day basis and creates the preconditions for safe traffic. The ELY Centres maintain a road network of 78,000 kilometres and the related structures, stop-off points for cars and roadside lighting. Road maintenance is carried out by selecting a provider on the open market through competitive tendering.
During winter, the main road maintenance tasks are snow ploughing, preventing slipperiness and keeping road surfaces even. If the weather conditions allow, ice roads are also maintained.
In the summer, roads are paved, gravel roads are restored and bridges maintained. A central aspect of bridge maintenance involves ensuring the safety and carrying capacity of bridges over their lifetime. Roadsides are maintained by mowing grass, cutting back roadside thickets and tending to plantations and natural woods. In addition road lights, traffic signs, bus stops, and rest and parking areas are maintained.
Road projects
The safety and smoothness of traffic flow is improved through road projects. New roads are constructed and current ones repaired in order to make roads safer and traffic smoother. Conditions for light traffic are improved and the use of public transport promoted. The transport needs of the business sector are secured.
In addition to traffic route construction, road construction projects include the construction of bridges, tunnels, junctions, traffic guidance systems and road lights. Road planning is based on the Highways Act and other legislation governing land use. Account is taken of the environmental perspective in all road maintenance activities. Measures that significantly improve the environment, such as noise reduction and the protection of groundwaters, are implemented through thematic projects or as part of large projects.
The planning, construction and maintenance of roads are commissioned from companies that provide such services. Compensation is paid for any loss, disruption or damage caused by the implementation of road projects. In every case, the aim is to requisition residential buildings or buildings required for business purposes by voluntary agreement.
Transport system management
The transport system is a transport infrastructure serving various forms of traffic and traffic services, as well as the passenger and freight traffic using these services. Transport system management refers to mutual efforts by different actors, such as ELY Centres, regional councils, the municipalities, and the Finnish Transport Agency, to develop the transport system as a single entity.
Transport system management refers to the versatile development of the transport system. This involves the practical implementation of the transport system perspective. In addition to planning, such work includes participation in land use planning, co-operation on traffic safety, the plannin of public transport, evaluation processes for environmental impacts, as well as joint preliminary plans and reports drawn up with municipalities and other parties. It also involves compiling information that is useful in the transport system planning carried out by various parties.
Transport sector planning addresses growth in traffic volumes. The international climate convention and reduction targets for carbon dioxide emissions from traffic bring a new perspective to this work. In long-term planning, forecasting the future is essential. Alternative visions of the future and development trends are examined in planning work.
In Finnish regions with declining populations, preserving transport services and the accessibility of public services poses a challenge to transport system management. In these regions, the level of the lower-tier road network is maintained, traffic arrangements (such as light traffic routes) are developed in built-up areas, main transport connections to regional centres are kept fluent, and long-distance and international traffic connections are preserved.
Public transport
ELY Centres ensure the availability and level of public transport services. They also create the preconditions for well-functioning and smooth public transport. Within their area of authority, ELY Centres define the public transport service level in co-operation with various actors. Transport under the authority of the Centres is based on transport service agreements in accordance with the Public Transport Act, complemented by transport services procured through purchase and licence agreements. In addition to transport based on service agreements, ELY Centres can issue route licences and demand-responsive transport service licences to transport providers operating on market terms.
ELY Centres also promote travel on public transport by financing city tickets, regional tickets and commuting tickets. They grant State assistance to municipalities for local and service transport and for public transport development projects.
The duties of ELY centres include creating the physical prerequisites for public transport, such as highway bus stops and shelters with the related fixtures and fittings. ELY centres must also create feeder areas, public transport lanes and traffic light priority systems, as well as providing all of the related care and maintenance. Account must be taken of public transport needs in all transport planning. Smoothness of the traffic flow is improved through maintenance. In this, the goal is to improve the fixtures and fittings at public transport stops while developing the winter maintenance of roads, in order to meet public transport needs. The travel chain is rendered more functional by improving feeder parking and connections to public transport stops.
Island traffic
Matters relating to island traffic, including road ferries and commuter ferries, have been centralised in the Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Southwest Finland in Turku. As a concept, ‘island’ covers sea and freshwater islands with no permanent road access, as well as other islands and mainland areas with conditions comparable to island areas. According to the Highways Act, road ferry, its route and quay form part of a highway.
The Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Southwest Finland in Turku is responsible for island ferry locations, most of which are in the Turku archipelago and the lake areas of Eastern Finland. The traffic is operated according to the defined service level.
Traffic safety
Advancing traffic safety is one of the key objectives of ELY Centres. The underlying vision is that no one should die or become seriously injured in traffic (the zero vision). Co-operation with various actors, such as the police and the traffic safety organisation Liiketurva, is central to promoting traffic safety. Safety improvements also require that road users take responsibility for this. Particular attention is paid to the safety of light traffic and aged and young road users.
The ELY Centres promote traffic safety through transport system planning in co-operation with other parties. Preventive traffic safety efforts are made by safely reconciling land use with traffic. The risk of road accidents and their consequences are mitigated through the planning of road environments, for instance by building median barriers and elk fences. Driving speeds are regulated by way of a speed limit system. Winter maintenance of roads secures operational preconditions for the business sector and enables daily transportation for citizens.
In addition to this, ELY Centres support the municipalities' traffic safety efforts by participating in the activities of traffic safety groups, by activating municipalities with regard to traffic safety planning and by organising training.
Transport permits
The ELY Centres steer outside actors in the road area and in its vicinity, through permit decisions and agreements. They also issue statements. In addition, ELY Centres grant private road subsidies and permits for transports. Road users can also claim damages for any highway accident caused by inadequate road maintenance.
ELY Centres grant permits for a range of purposes, for instance for connecting a private road to a highway, for work carried out in the road area, for roadside advertising, special transports, signposts, temporary road closures and the provision of taxi and public transport services.
Traffic management
Traffic management is part of road management. Traffic management measures are aimed at improving the safety and smoothness of traffic, reducing traffic emissions and utilising road capacity more efficiently. Traffic management means can be used to curb demand for traffic and to influence the choice of the means of transport, route or the time for travel and transport.
Traffic management encompasses the following areas: an information service providing up-to-date traffic information to road users, traffic control, disturbance management, demand management, support and monitoring of drivers, and the management of equipment and transport. In traffic management, a reliable, up-to-date picture of the traffic system is a necessity.
Transport telematics are used in traffic management. To a road user, they are visible in the form of traffic lights, variable traffic signs and signposts. In order to use these devices, up-to-date monitoring of the conditions is required, as well as the collection, storage and analysis of information. Various telecommunications and IT applications are also necessary.
Intelligent transport refers to the use of information and communications technology in the transport system, alongside all forms of traffic and in passenger and freight traffic. Intelligent transport provides assistance and guidance in choosing and optimising transport in the way most advantageous for the system as a whole. This improves the profitability, safety, smoothness, efficiency and environmental friendliness of the transport system. Intelligent transport is an integral part of the transport and information society policies.
Assessment of basic transport services
Basic transport services mainly refer to services concerning a large number of people, influencing citizens’ everyday lives and a lack of which would cause significant problems. Together with regional state administrative agencies, ELY Centres are tasked with assessing basic transport services. The starting point of such assessment is to describe service availability by taking account of the need and demand for services. The state is responsible for creating sufficient prerequisites for the provision of basic services. Municipalities are responsible for arranging key basic services.
Traffic customer service
The Centre for Traffic Customer Service is a unit that operates nationwide. The Centre provides advice on traffic-related matters and is a contact point for feedback.
- Traffic Customer Service, tel. 0206 90300, liikenteen.asiakaspalvelu(at)ely-keskus.fi
- Road User's Phone Service, tel. 0200 2100
- notifications on road conditions and traffic problems 24h/day