TALLINN - Next week, construction will begin on the first phase of the Putukavail (The Pollinator Highway) project in Tallinn, creating a new pedestrian and cyclist corridor between Ristiku and Sole streets and establishing a diverse linear park that connects Sole Street with Kolde Avenue.
"We are connecting the entire city with elongated parks, so that in the near future, people will be able to travel from one district to another via a city-wide green network," Deputy Mayor Partel-Peeter Pere said. "When being in nature becomes a part of our daily lives year-round, people are healthier. By 2035, these linear parks will form a unified 14-kilometer green network, similar to what we see in Nordic cities."
The Putukavail route runs from the Telliskivi Creative City through the Kopli freight station, the area between garages in North Tallinn, and Merimetsa, along the borders of the Kristiine, Mustamae, Haabersti, and Nomme districts, up to Hiiu. The 14-kilometer green corridor connecting six districts is one of the flagship projects of Tallinn's European Green Capital year.
Kaidi Poldoja, head of the spatial planning department at the Tallinn strategic management office, said that the development of Putukavail is a significant milestone in the implementation of Tallinn's development strategy.
"The project has raised awareness about the importance of a greener urban environment and encouraged both city officials and citizens to think more broadly about urban greenery and to try innovative solutions such as wildflower meadows and beehive gardens," Poldoja said. "Thanks to the principles established and introduced by Putukavail, considering biodiversity has become the norm rather than the exception in Tallinn's public space projects."
The construction of Putukavail will significantly diversify leisure opportunities. The Ristiku-Sole section will feature an outdoor gym area, petanque court, table tennis tables, picnic tables, and swings. The Kolde-Sole section will include several smaller play areas and a larger playground, as well as table tennis tables, refurbished dog parks, and sports fields -- a beach volleyball court and a basketball court equipped with football goals. This section will also house the already completed Pelgu community garden.
Throughout the entire area, numerous seating areas will be added, providing opportunities for picnics or shaded relaxation. Extensive new landscaping and natural habitats, such as meadows of meadowsweet, cowslip, and fireweed, will be created, while existing diverse meadow habitats will be preserved.
During construction, the entire project area will be closed, including the existing sidewalk on the Sole-Kolde section. Access on the Ristiku-Sole section will be granted only to users of the garage complex.
A significant portion of the construction budget for this area will go toward the reconstruction of utility networks. The park area contains an old gas pipeline that is sensible to replace before building the park to prevent potential future repairs on the new park grounds. Additionally, the Putukavail project includes public restrooms and drinking water fountains, necessitating the installation of new pipelines. New lighting will be installed throughout the entire section, significantly enhancing safety.
The Tallinn urban environment and public works department conducted an international public procurement to find a contractor for the first phase of the Putukavail project. As a result of the procurement, a contract worth approximately 8.3 million euros was signed with Tallinna Teede AS. Preparatory work for the first phase (Ristiku-Kolde Avenue) will begin this week, with construction set to commence on June 10. Residents will be informed in advance about any potential construction noise disturbances. The project documentation for the first phase of Putukavail was prepared by K-Projekt AS.
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