FosseWay wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 09:13
freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 03:25
I almost wonder if the reason why a grid was chosen was to avoid too much arguing about what route E1 (or any other "important" number) should take.
Entirely possible, even probable
I have a feeling I read somewhere that the UNECE wanted to change the route of the E6, meaning that its current route (Trelleborg to Nordkapp) would either have a new (and presumably "less important") number or not be part of the network at all. The Swedes and Norwegians kicked up a stink, pointing to the fact that E-road numbers are baked into both countries' internal classification systems, and the UNECE gave up.
The history in brief:
The UNECE made a grid-based proposal in 1975. Many countries hesitated because of costs. When the new system came into effect in 1983, only eight countries had joined.
The Nordics were pretty much against the proposal, especially Norway and Sweden. Norway and Sweden decided in 1987 to not join the new system. Therefore, there were two overlapping systems for a few years. Denmark joined the new system, and Finland decided to see what happens.
The Nordics submitted a revised plan to the UNECE, and that was approved in 1989. Norway, Finland, and Sweden took the renumbering actions in 1992.
Yes, Sweden and Norway did not to want to lose their "good" numbers E4 and E6. Finland did not make much noise, because the E-road numbering is separate from the national one, and Finland saw the case a secondary question.
The original plan for Finland, Sweden and Norway was the following. What was implemented shown in parenthesis.
E06 Olderfjord(xE47)-Kirkenes (now E6 Trelleborg-Oslo-Trondheim-Olderfjord-Kirkenes)
E10 Narvik-Luleå (now Lofoten-Luleå)
E12 Helsinki-Vaasa-Umeå-Mo i Rana to replace E79 (as proposed)
E14 Sundsvall-Trondheim to replace E75 (as proposed)
E18 Stavanger-Kristiansand-Oslo-Stockholm-Helsinki-Vaalimaa to replace E3 in Finland (now Kristiansand-Vaalimaa)
E20 Malmö-Gothenburg-Örebro-Eskilstuna-Stockholm to replace E3 in Sweden (as proposed)
E22 Trelleborg-Malmö-Kalmar-Norrköping to replace E66 (as proposed)
E39 Kristiansand-Aalborg (now Trondheim-Bergen-Stavanger-Kristiansand-Aalborg)
E45 Sicily-Gothenburg (now Sicily-Gothenburg-Kaaresuvanto-Alta)
E47 Helsingborg-Oslo-Trondheim-Olderfjord-Nordkapp to replace E6 (now E69 Olderfjord-Nordkapp only, no E47 in SWE/NOR)
E55 Helsingborg-Stockholm-Haparanda-Tornio-Kemi to replace E4 (now E4 Helsingborg-Tornio, E8 Tornio-Kemi, no E55 in SWE/FIN)
E63 Gothenburg-Jönköping-Stockholm-Turku-Kuopio-Sodankylä to replace E80 in Finland (as proposed in Finland, no E63 in Sweden)
E65 Malmö-Ystad to replace E14 (as proposed)
E69 Tromsø-Tornio to replace E78 (now E8 Tromsø-Tornio-Oulu-Turku)
E75 Helsinki-Oulu-Kemi-Ivalo-Karasjok to replace E4 in Finland (now Helsinki-Ivalo-Utsjoki-Vardø)
Note that Sweden lost their "good" E3 for E20. Norway would have lost their E68 Oslo-Bergen, E69 Dombås-Ålesund, and E76 Oslo-Haugesund. They were renumbered to E16, E136, and E134 respectively in the revised plan.