My boss has a funny name for the tenacious core group of lane lobbyists. They are “true believers”; people for whom saving the road infrastructure is, if not a day job, then at least a life mission.
There are many magazines, blogs and Twitter accounts that only true believers follow. Clubs and seminars where the awakened meet. They hear testimonies about how it is now cheap to fix the road. At the same time, there is a lack of alms - the fact that the municipalities and the state do not take advantage of the buyer's market, even if a million euros for road infrastructure would save 15 person-years of work, stimulate growth centers and generate tax revenues many times the amount of money invested.
In the freshest moment of devotion of true believers, On Earth Construction Day 2015 the future of investments in the sector was especially a concern. Sipilä's government promised 600 million for basic road maintenance, but it is impossible for a true believer to go to the fair. At the same time, investments are frozen. "Infra's growth effects must be brought out more clearly. The risk of under-investment is also clearly present," the National Audit Office reminded in a day.
Both the Finnish Transport Agency and the ministries are already openly announcing that the budget money is no longer sufficient for the maintenance of Finland's rail network and new investments (cf. e.g. INFRA magazine 3/2014). How would private money be put into motion?
At least the price tag must be calculated for the land use, zoning and other benefits of infrastructure projects. The price can then be shared among all those who benefit from the project – including the area's businesses, communities and residents. The model torpedoes useless projects. New buildings would only be built where it increases the competitiveness of business life, housing production and economic activity.
An infrastructure fund aimed at pension companies and other institutions has also been presented. Why settle for this? Citizens have money in their pockets. Does a washable Peräkylä refer to the Kumipyorin kikkälle fund, a red-green cup to the Raiteilla restaurantpäiville fund.
The life cycle model is already familiar to true believers: the private sector builds and maintains the road, the public sector pays in parts over time. Could we go even further? Let's let a private company manage some of the connection intervals. It can build a road, a track, or even fly grandmas and grandpas with a whisk or a sled with a kick sled - according to the customer's needs. Keep the profits as long as the traffic goes according to the contract.
Yes, there is wealth in Finland, the state is just poor. Now we need those who, in addition to good faith, have a command of mathematics.
Anu Ginström
editor-in-chief
INFRA magazine
The blog text was originally published Tekniikka&Talous magazine In the Speeches column.
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