Impact of Low-Volume Road Network Improvements on Rural Community Development in Finland

Two models are introduced: a village vitality model for assessing the impacts of individual road improvements on the vitality of rural communities in Finland and a market potential model for assessing the impact of road improvements on retail sales in villages. Interviews and questionnaire surveys were conducted with the representatives and residents of six villages of different types in southern Finland to examine the existing problems and evaluate the impacts of improving the access roads to villages. The impacts of alternative road improvement measures, or their combinations, are assessed on the speed and travel time on the access road to villages. This has a direct impact on the accessibility of villages and thus reflects the change in village vitality induced by the alternative road improvement measures. According to the village vitality model, major improvements to the low-volume road network have no significant measurable impacts on rural community development. Furthermore, according to the village interviews and surveys, road condition and travel time on the access roads to villages are not the most important factors affecting village development, even though they will support it. Consequently, the overall accessibility of villages is significant, but it is not the major variable in explaining village vitality and rural community development. Low-volume road network improvements will indirectly promote rural community development, and improved accessibility will advance the development of some essential sectors of rural economy.