Poorly maintained roads are costing Europe billions, boosting emissions and endangering lives, according to industry leaders and policymakers.
On April 9, the European Asphalt Pavement Association (EAPA) and the European Road Maintenance Forum (ERMF) warned politicians about this in their Road Maintenance Matters event, attended by Brussels Signal.
They highlighted that €53 billion is needed just to rehabilitate Germany’s municipal roads.
Such a funding gap is not unique.
Denmark’s maintenance budgets have shrunk by 35 per cent since 2017, leaving a backlog of more than €500 million.
France faces an even larger challenge, with an estimated €2.8 trillion required to replace its ageing road network, yet only €14 billion is spent annually on preventive maintenance.
Politicians were called out for not wanting to invest in roads.
“Road maintenance is always the first budget to be cut, but it’s the last thing we should neglect,” said Jakob Swan, Managing Director of the Danish Asphalt Industry Association.
His organisation’s recent survey showed that Danish voters rank road safety and infrastructure as a top priority, even above healthcare and education, yet politicians continue to underfund it.
A major focus of the event was the direct link between road quality and CO₂ emissions.
Rough, uneven surfaces force vehicles to burn more fuel, increasing emissions.
Juan José Poti, founder of International Road Maintenance Day, presented data from Spain’s M50 highway, where a €22 million investment in road resurfacing saved more energy in one year than the project cost.
“Smoother roads mean less fuel, less CO₂. This is the fastest way to cut transport emissions, no new technology needed, just better maintenance,” Poti stated.
With more than half of Danes reporting unsafe cycling conditions due to potholes and uneven surfaces, Agata Duda of the European Cyclists’ Federation warned that poor road quality is discouraging cycling, despite this being a key European Union transport goal.
“If we want people to bike instead of drive, we need safe, smooth roads. Right now, many cyclists don’t feel protected,” she said.
Experts highlighted AI, connected vehicles and real-time monitoring as game-changers for road maintenance.
David de Lope of the University of Palermo demonstrated how predictive maintenance systems can cut costs by 30 per cent and extend road lifespans.
“We no longer have to wait for potholes to appear. Sensors and data tell us where problems will happen before they do,” de Lope said.
Attendees called for Europe to stop treating road maintenance as disposable.
Every delayed repair only drives up future costs, turning small fixes into budget-breaking overhauls, it was stressed
Part of the solution, they said, was embracing digital tools — AI, real-time monitoring, and data-driven planning — to work smarter, not harder, making every euro stretch further while keeping roads in top condition.
