Street Network Repair Backlog Project in Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä is among the few municipalities in Finland that have managed to reduce the repair backlog of their street network over the last few years. This has been achieved with the help of the Street Network Repair Backlog project, for which funds have been allocated from the city’s operating expenditure. In addition to the appropriations, successful reduction of the repair backlog has been facilitated by years of collection, storage, upkeep, and analysis of street network-related data. Jyväskylä is the only city in Finland that has measured and examined the condition of the entire street network twice, using ground radars, among other equipment, which has allowed choosing the sites and working methods in a manner ensuring the best possible utilisation of the funds available.

For example, in 2019, repair works under the Repair Backlog project were carried out at about 30 streets. In addition to traditional solutions, methods utilised less often in street construction were employed. These include stabilisation and use of geogrids. The objective is to avoid the need for street renovation through good maintenance, since full renovation is much more expensive than regular repair.

The work done at Jyväskylä has been noticed elsewhere as well. An example of this is the Municipal Engineering Achievement Award (Kuntatekniikan Saavutus) granted to Jyväskylä for the Street Network Repair Backlog Project in May 2019 by the Finnish Association of Municipal Engineering (SKTY).

Fimpec’s role in the project

Fimpec Oy is responsible for paving works expertise and supervision in Jyväskylä, and in the Street Network Repair Backlog Project, the company functions as an expert and repair works supervisor. As an expert, Fimpec participates in selection of the maintenance sites and the methods used there, and has arranged the competitive tendering of paving and stabilisation contracts.

Since the human resources at the disposal of the city are limited, implementation of the project in its current extent has been made possible through co-operation and expert assistance provided by Fimpec.

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