Dear participants of the Conference! The time flies by. It feels like only yesterday we said goodbye to each other in the previous conference. It seems like the pace of changes, dictated by the globalization, is so fast that only by meeting and taking a breath we may notice that actually we change too. It affects our perception, attitude and way of thinking, our scales and values. We want to achieve more and faster, and sometimes it is hard to accept even inevitable compromise. However, the world is too big and even similar problems are solved differently in every country, though every approach may be considered proper and appropriate for specific region or circumstances. Hence we express our gratitude to the Conference that gives us an opportunity to compare and evaluate our accomplishments and, if necessary, to adopt the best practise from a neighbour. We thank the Conference for a chance to meet each other and get more familiar. Maybe tomorrow economical considerations, imperceptible today, will make us agree on one joint action and then today’s contacts will be worth its weight in gold. May we all succeed in our intentions! Ladies and gentlemen, I have an honour to invite you to the XXVII International Road Conference! You are kindly invited to participate in the XXVII Largely economical development of the state is secured by International Road Conference that will be held on qualitative roads. Qualitative, modern road is a combination August 24-26, 2009, in Riga. of many condtions and each of them, whether it is management, planning, design, construction, supervision or The Conference will be held in a time when we are maintenance, has its effect on the outcome and also on celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Latvian our image in the eyes of the public. I hope that road sector. During this time a dense road network Conference reports and discussions will help us to find has been developed in Latvia. solutions that will stimulate the efficiency of our daily work and achieve more in circumstances when more Financing from the state budget for the funds are allocated to roads. maintenance and reconstruction of roads is growing every year. Still essential financial source Financing for the Latvian road sector is substantially for the development of transport infrastructure are growing. The basis is founded for express roads and EU Cohesion Fund and European Regional it will be developed by using PPP opportunities, too. Development Fund. We have also launched PPP To increase the level of road user satisfaction with projects. Such contracts will allow the driving conditions, additional attention is paid to the Ainårs Ílesers implementation of significant projects in a higher Tålis Straume, quality of the state road network. In the new financing Minister of Transport quality level. At this time almost all necessary Chairman of the Board conditions it is planned to radically reduce the proportion of of the Republic of Latvia conditions have been achieved when by working Latvian State Roads, gravel roads to promote regional and district development accurately and systematically, the society could Chairman of Baltic and overall network accessibility. However, our achievements feel that roads are adequately maintained, Road Association will give no satisfaction if we are not able to achieve a reconstructed and constructed anew. breakthrough in traffic safety and environment protection. It may be one of the most significant criteria for our adequacy Our road users have rights to drive on European- and belonging to Europe with its values and ideals. We level roads, and we have to join our efforts to appreciate the importance of the European Union funds in ensure that. Additional attention has to be paid to our road infrastructure. Without these resources our the improvement of traffic safety as it is a priority development would be considerably slower because there are not only in Latvia, but in the whole Europe. always more needs than possibilities to fulfil them. So let us take an advantage of the opportunities the Conference provides us. Let these days be full of intense and fruitful work and let us not forget about relaxation, too. In this respect Riga offers more opportunities than we can embrace. Hope to see you soon! 2 XXVII INTERNATIONAL BALTIC ROAD CONFERENCE Dear participants of the Dear colleagues, XXVII Baltic Road Conference, Partnership of the Baltic road engineers has had a It is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of history of 80 years. It is symbolic that this time we are the Estonian Road Administration, welcome gathering in Riga, where in September 1932, 67 years you to the XXVII International Road ago, the first official Baltic Road Conference was held. Conference in Riga, Latvia in August 2009. The bridge was built to connect the three The objectives of the conference Baltic states, which has become the include topics well known to the road foundation of close relationship, exchange of sector, aiming at the exchange of professional skills and new ideas. know-how for efficient cooperation It will be twenty years that conferences of between the countries, especially this type have become a modern centre for the exchange of knowledge in the coordinating the activities of the Baltic field of technology, road countries‘ road specialists. The activities management, financing and include the implemention of new traffic safety, which makes the technologies and solving regional problems regular BRA conferences of road engineers and represention of the important not only for the interests of the Baltic countries on the international countries of the Baltic region, but hopefully Virgaudas PuodΩiukas arena. We are united not only by common traditions and Riho Sormus also for our neighbours in Scandinavia and Director General of the history, we are united by the aim to progress and the Director General more widely for the road sector specialists Lithuanian Road membership in the European Union and NATO. We are of the Estonian globally. I do hope that everyone will find the Administration united by Via Baltica as well. Road Administration conference interesting and thought- provoking. The Baltic Road Association gains more weight on the international arena by accumulating the best specialists in the area as well as effectively reacting to the demands and changes of the market. New methods, modern management and the latest road construction technology are implemented. Our openness to novelties and courage when seeking for new areas of activity attract the attention not only of partners from the Nordic countries but from the most important international road organizations such as PIARC, IRF and CEDR. I wish the participants of this conference interesting presentations, productive discussions, novel projects, which would make the roads of the Baltic countries more modern, convenient and safer. 3 XXVII INTERNATIONAL BALTIC ROAD CONFERENCE Baltic Road Association Organizing Committee of the XXVII International Baltic Road Conference Baltic Road Association (BRA) is a regional Chairman – Mr. Olafs Kronlaks road organization of the Baltic States – Deputy Chairman – Mr. Andris Veiss Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Its key aim is to Project Coordinator – Ms. Ieva Niedra co-ordinate the activities of the Baltic road Head of Scientific committee – Mr. Valdis Laukßteins specialists and seek mutual co-operation and In charge of technical excursions – Mr. Vladislavs Nartißs technical progress as well as look for solutions In charge of cooperation with foreign institutions – Mr. Mårtinï ß Dambergs of regional problems and represent the Baltic In charge of culture programme – Ms. Ilze Straume road specialists in international organizations In charge of publications – Ms. Daiga MeΩapu˚e and events. In charge of exhibition – Mr. Gundars Kains In charge of the Conference programme – Mr. Jånis Kastanovskis The first regional road conference was held In charge of administrative questions – Ms. Laura Linkeviça in 1932 in Riga. Since then and until 1939 In charge of programme for accompanying persons – Ms. Marianna Blüma there were annual conferences held in one of In charge of secretariat – Ms. Santa Vaivode the Baltic States. The tradition of meetings was restored in 1958. Then there was a resolution adopted to arrange conferences every three years. The present association was officially established in 1989. The leadership of the BRA is based on a three- year rotation principle – each national section chairs the BRA for three years. The leading period is summed up in the tri-annual international conferences and exhibitions held in the leading country. International regional conferences and exhibitions are held every three years. They are open to the road specialists from all over the world and receive particular interest from the road specialists of Nordic countries, Middle and Eastern Europe. The Conference marks the final stage of the country’s leadership. 4 XXVII INTERNATIONAL BALTIC ROAD CONFERENCE Conference programme Session themes Sunday, August 23 A1 Road planning Languages: Road condition evaluation 12.00 – 18.00 Registration at the Conference venue – Road user needs identification International Exhibition Centre in îpsala Network level planning Official languages of the Conference are 18.30 – 21.00 Welcome reception, Riga Art Space Environment impact assessment English and Russian. Road data utilization (RDB, GSM) Reports will be presented in English or Russian. Simultaneous interpreting Monday, August 24 A2 Road construction