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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

Impact assessment of the Lahti motorway and the Kerava-Lahti direct rail line, study after implementation

Lahden moottoritien ja Kerava-Lahti oikoradan jalkeen-vaiheen vaikutusselvitys

The Järvenpää-Lahti motorway was opened to traffic in two phases during the years 1998-99. The Kerava-Lahti direct rail line was completed in the year 2006. Information on the traffic and socioeconomic impacts along this transport corridor was compiled and analyzed in this study. Statistical data and information from separate studies were completed by a questionnaire study for rail passengers and road users as well as by interviews in Lahti and Mäntsälä. Traffic volumes on the Järvenpää-Lahti motorway have clearly exceeded traffic forecasts. Still, the road capacity has been sufficient, and will also be sufficient for future traffic demand. The number of accidents has significantly decreased after the completion of the motorway. Concluding on traffic volumes, the profitability of the motorway investment will be high. The Kerava-Lahti direct rail line was primarily constructed for the needs of railway passenger traffic. It enabled shorter travel distances and travel times by train to eastern Finland and Russia. As a result, passenger volumes have increased significantly in Lahti and in eastern Finland. In railway freight traffic, the direct rail line enabled shorter transport distances to eastern Finland and Russia. Freight transport volumes have, however, been lower than expected. The capacity of the rail line is sufficient for existing supply of rail services and will also be sufficient for traffic growth. Concluding on the first years of operation, the socioeconomic profitability of the investment will not be as high as was originally expected. According to the survey, 45 % of rail passengers would have selected another mode of transport (mainly private car or bus), if the direct rail line had not been constructed. Over 90 % of road users would have selected private car, even if the motorway had not been constructed. About half of rail passengers and one-fifth of road users indicated that the direct rail line increased their train travel. Regarding travellers between the Helsinki and Lahti regions, a significant share (about 30 %) of rail passengers and about 20 % of road users indicated that the direct rail line affected their choice of residence or job location. Population growth has clearly accelerated in urban fringe areas of several roadside municipalities after the motorway was completed. Positive net migration from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area to Mäntsälä and also to the Lahti urban region has increased. Population growth has further accelerated after the completion of the direct rail line. New residential areas have been constructed in the vicinity of stations. Lahti station area has also developed into a specialized business district due to faster railway connections. Business development that requires cargo transport has totally relied on motorway connections. New competing business and logistics areas have emerged and existing areas have strengthened their position in interchange areas, although this development has not been very strong. Missing sidings to industrial areas prevent the development railway freight transport operations. New transport infrastructure has increased municipal expenses due to new construction, population growth and business development. Tax revenues will also increase, but surplus in municipal economy can only happen in the longer run. It is, however, difficult to separate the impacts of transport infrastructure development from the impacts of, for example, economic trends and steering mechanisms of municipal economy. This report may be found at http://www2.liikennevirasto.fi/julkaisut/pdf3/lts_2011-34_lahden_moottoritien_web.pdf

Language

  • Finnish

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01343135
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Finnish Transport Agency
  • ISBN: 978-952-255-691-2
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Jun 28 2011 10:13AM