Private roads
Private road refers to a road for which road rights have been granted in the road construction proceedings. Private road maintenance, such as summer and winter maintenance, is the responsibility of the owners of properties that have been granted the right to a road, i.e. road shareholders.
The road shareholders have been able to organise themselves into a road maintenance association, in which case matters concerning road maintenance are decided at a road maintenance association meeting. If there is no road maintenance association, the shareholders agree on road maintenance through mutual agreements. Only organised road maintenance associations can apply for municipal grants (section 84 of the Private Roads Act).
- The Private Roads Act requires the road maintenance association to submit up-to-date contact information to the National Land Survey’s private road register (link).
- Traffic signs or restrictions are reported to the Road and Street Network Information System (Digiroad link). Road data must be reported to Digiroad even if there are no restrictions or prohibitions on the road.
Application period for private road maintenance subsidies begins on 1 January and ends on 31 March
Applications for maintenance subsidies are processed in the order of arrival and notified by e-mail. After the notification, the grants will be paid as soon as possible during 2023.
Please note that all road maintenance associations applying for subsidies must meet annually and collect unit fees from the road shareholders.
For more detailed information, contact yksityistiet(at)kuopio.fi. Enquiries by telephone, with most certainty on Mondays 12:00–15:00 and Thursdays 8:00–12:00.
Fundamental improvements
Fundamental improvement works include improving the drainage of the road and the related digging of ditches, improving the load-bearing capacity of the road and renewing the culverts.
Annual road gravelling, paving, mowing or plowing are not part of the fundamental improvement measures.
A decision on the fundamental improvement must be made by the road maintenance association. Subsidies are applied for the project before it starts. The maximum subsidy share is 50 per cent of the sum of the cost calculation.
A subsidy for the basic improvements can be applied for that part of the road that is used by the permanent settlement on a private road. The application can be done electronically by using an e-form. The application period is open throughout the year. If necessary, the application can be filled in at the city’s customer service points where customer terminals are available. Login to the form with online banking credentials.
Accounts are also made by using an e-form with receipts. Login to the form with online banking credentials. The subsidy amount is specified based on the accounts.
City holdings on private roads
Invitations to road meetings and data collection forms must be sent by e-mail to maaomaisuudenhallintapalvelut(at)kuopio.fi. The invitation must be accompanied by the road maintenance association’s payment list, which shows the IDs of the properties owned by the city, the units, the types of traffic, and an explanation of the determination of the weight of any special traffic.
Payment invoices related to the city holdings must be submitted as e-invoices to land management services. More information available at https://www.kuopio.fi/en/city-of-kuopio/services-and-advice/invoicing-and-invoicing-addresses/
Road signs on private roads
Traffic signs on private roads
Address numbering of private roads
Addresses in sparsely populated areas (pdf)
Important addresses and contacts
- Act on Private Roads (Finlex, in Finnish)
- Private road unit (pdf, in Finnish) The National Land Survey of Finland is preparing new guidelines for private road units, which will enter into force in the summer of 2023. To be acknowledged by the road maintenance associations.
- Finnish Road Association – contact information for road managers (in Finnish)
+358 200 345 20 Finnish Road Association’s private roads helpline, weekdays 9:00–18:00, payment EUR 0.92 per min+local network fee - NLS Map Service
- Proceedings of the National Land Survey (in Finnish)
- Assisting the improvement of a private road (ELY Centre)
+358 295 020 603 (local network fee/mobile fee) government subsidies for the fundamental improvement of a private road.
Private road matters – please contact!
Terhi Leppänen
Urban environment / management support services
Mondays 12:00–15:00, Thursdays 8:00–12:00