Safer miles ahead for Eastern European drivers
Road infrastructure in many new Member States is in need of an upgrade. Since public funding is limited, an emphasis must be placed on cost-effective solutions. Environmental constraints are also becoming increasingly important. European experts in this field came together in the framework of the 'Sustainable pavements for European new Member States' (SPENS) project to bring road networks in Eastern Europe up to European standards. The research was funded by the EU. Considerable effort went into designing and testing new asphalt mixtures. Sourcing the raw materials locally helped keep costs down while the use of recycled materials where possible helped reduce the environmental footprint. Following an initial analysis in the laboratory, several samples were selected for field testing. Data concerning wear and tear caused by vehicle traffic as well as potential reduction of traffic noise were collected. Collaboration with other related research and technological development (RTD) projects allowed exchange of information with stakeholders such as construction companies and highway operators. Once a set of recommendations was agreed upon, the SPENS participants put together multilingual dissemination materials. These were made available to the public through a brochure and a website. The driving population in Eastern Europe can look forward to safer miles ahead.
