Estonia to allocate additional EUR 97 mln for road construction

TALLINN - Estonia plans to direct nearly 97 million euros in additional funding to road construction to accelerate major transport projects, improve traffic safety, and strengthen connections across Estonia.

The additional funds will come from approximately 85 million euros in unused European Union cohesion policy funding, with the remainder covered by this year's supplementary state budget.

The extra investments will focus on improving safety on the country's main roads, particularly on high-traffic sections. Of the unused EU funds, 17 million euros are earmarked for building a bypass around Märjamaa on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway. Construction on the 3.5-kilometer 2+2 lane section is scheduled to begin next year and continue through the end of 2027.

Another 42 million euros will go toward the first phase of the Konuvere-Pärnu-Jaagupi section of the same highway. The 6.5-kilometer stretch, including the Päärdu bridge, will also be built as a 2+2 road and completed in the same timeframe. On the Tallinn-Tartu highway, 20 million euros will be allocated for constructing a 2+2 lane section at the Paia intersection in Imavere. That project will also begin next year and take two years to complete.

In addition, 5.8 million euros will be allocated to the Rail Baltic project to develop the Soodevahe freight terminal, which will serve as a multimodal hub linking the Rail Baltic rail line with the national road network.

The current supplementary state budget also includes plans to allocate an additional 12 million euros for national roads. This will allow some projects initially planned for future years to begin sooner. Among these are the construction of a 2+2 bypass in Are on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway and the reconstruction of the Tõrvandi-Roiu road section. Access to Soomaa National Park's visitor center will be improved by paving the gravel road from Kõpu through Tõramaa to Jõesuu. In addition, repair works will be carried out on several road sections nationwide, and road markings will be refreshed.

Major road construction projects planned for this and the coming years also include additional 2+2 sections on the Tallinn-Pärnu highway at Päädeva-Konuvere, Sauga-Pärnu, and Libatse-Nurme, as well as the construction of overpasses along the Rail Baltic corridor and the Kanama overpass.

Currently, there are 79 kilometers of 2+2 road sections on the Tallinn-Tartu-Võru-Luhamaa and Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highways. Another 38 kilometers are under construction. The additional funding will add 13 more kilometers of 2+2 roads and increase the load-bearing capacity of six bridges.