The RMDP reserve funding is first used to compensate expenses incurred due to urgent maintenance of secondary roads damaged during emergency situations or at risk of accidents. Eight projects in Kaunas city and Ukmergė region will be allocated EUR 458.7 thousand for the above purpose.
The largest portion of the reserve (almost EUR 18.9 million) is allocated for maintenance and reconstruction of national and secondary roads and streets, and construction of new road sections. These funds are distributed on the basis of applications submitted by municipalities and the State Enterprise Lithuanian Road Administration (LRA). A total of 24 continuous road projects are financed on the basis of 15 applications submitted by municipalities and the LRA. The RMDP reserve funds this year are being allocated at 77.2 percent intensity; thus, applicants will have to contribute their own funds while implementing projects.
“While distributing financing reserve under the Road maintenance and development programme we proposed focusing on all continuous road projects that had already received financing from the same reserve last year. This is our way of enabling municipalities to complete undergoing projects as next year we are planning to change the procedure of financing under this programme so that the reserve does not become another ‘investment programme’ causing dissatisfaction and tensions between municipalities due to abstract funding distribution criteria and expectations conflicting with actual financial capacities”, Minister Marius Skuodis said.
Out of EUR 18.9 million dedicated to continuous projects, almost a third (EUR 5.7 million) is being allocated to roads leading to territories generating new jobs. 6 such road projects are to be funded in total. Among them: construction of Vilnius city Logistikos street and roads connecting Rail Baltica with Vilnius public logistics centre (EUR 2.7 million), and major repair of regional road section Palemonas–Neveronys–Ramučiai, which is an important connection with Kaunas free economic zone (EUR 1.3 million).
The RMDP reserve forms 5 percent of the total programme budget. The lion share of the RMDP budget, i. e. 65 percent, goes to national roads (30 percent) and municipality-controlled secondary roads.
