At the same time, the Norwegian police plans a major extension of the Storskog border pass, Norway’s only station along the 196 km long Norwegian-Russian border. A plan for the upgrade is expected to be presented in November this year.
The Norwegian-Russian border could get a boost in cross-border traffic following planned industrial projects, as well as the proposed establishment of a visa-free border zone in the area. In 2008, a total of 104,000 people crossed the border.
Today, the road leading to Russian border does not meet sufficient standards to handle the expected increase in cross-border traffic. According to newspaper Finnmarken, a total of 270 million NOK is to be invested in new a road from Kirkenes to the border point by year 2014.
As reported by BarentsObserver, the new road to the border was included in the Norwegian National Transport Plan for the period 2010-2019. That plan also includes an upgrade of the Kirkenes Airport, an airport located only few kilometers from the Russian border.
Meanwhile from the Russian side, major road upgrades are being made. Last year, more than 70 of road got new asphalt. This year, tens of kilometers of more road is to be modernized. According to sources in Murmansk, the mainroad from Murmansk to the Norwegian border is a priority. This year all the way to Pechenga will get new asphalt, they say.
