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pounds per yard with 87 and 101 pounds per yard predominating. About 125 miles of rail is renewed each year, most of which is welded into 919-foot sections. In 1969 there were over 1,300 miles of continuous-welded rail; the longest single section was 34 miles long. Concrete ties now predominate over treated pine ties. Clamp-type fastenings are used with concrete ties; spring-type fastenings, spikes, and tie plats are used with wooden ties. Ballast consists of gravel and broken stone.

D. Highways (C)

The distribution of highways has been influenced chiefly by the rugged terrain, severe climatic conditions, and population factors. The basic highway system is concentrated in the southern part of the country, where it provides access to major urban areas, industrial centers, agricultural areas, and rail terminals and ports. Large lake areas have influenced to some extent the alignment of roads in the network. North of latitude 60° rugged terrain and long, severe winters, during which travel is infeasible, account for the paucity of roads. International highway connections are made with the adjacent countries of Norway and Finland.

The highway network totals 61,000 miles, of which 44,500 are crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth, and the remaining 16,500 miles are surfaced with bitumen, concrete, stone block, or cobblestone. The policy is to surface roads with bitumen, and the use of cobblestone and concrete has been reduced. Roads in the south are in fair to good condition; gravel and earth roads (Figure 2) in the north are generally in poor condition. Except for some sections of four-lane divided highways, surface widths are generally 13 to 26 feet. Roads are usually 20 to 24 feet wide near urban areas; rural roads may be as narrow as 10 feet. Shoulders, where they exist, normally are of earth and are up to 5 feet in width. Roads above the Arctic Circle are narrow, but during the winter when they are frozen they have greater supporting capacity and are wider because snow is plowed to the outside edge of the shoulders. About 18% of the total network is open to 10-ton axle and 16-ton tandem-axle weights. This is true for 81% of the national routes and 34% of the principal through routes. Axle and tandem-axle weights on 94% of the country's total network are 8 and 12 tons, respectively.

About 67% of the 9,400 bridges on the highway network are reinforced concrete, 18% are stone-masonry, 11% are timber, and 4% are of steel. The reliance on concrete is due primarily to the low maintenance requirements. Stonemasonry bridges are largely concentrated in the south; timber bridges, almost all of which are on local roads in the north, are gradually being replaced with concrete structures. Bridges on national and provincial highways are in good condition. National routes have 95% of the bridges, and 63% are on roads permitting 10-ton axle and 16-ton tandem-axle weights.

The three international ferry crossings on the system provide connections with Denmark. Tunnels are being constructed on national highways in order to improve alignment and eliminate bottlenecks on these routes. One tunnel is on the national route between Malmo and the Norway border. The Tingstad tunnel is a 1,883-foot six-lane structure under the Gotaalv in the vicinity of Goteborg.

FIGURE 2. Swedish highways (U/OU) (photos)

Typical gravel road in northern Sweden

Four-lane divided highway exiting Stockholm to the north toward Uppsala

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090023-1