Rae municipality launches tender to find tram route to Ülemiste

Rae municipality has announced a tender which aims is to find the best location for a tram route from Ülemiste to Jüri. In the first stage, the municipality wants to establish a connection to the small town of Peetri on the border of Tallinn.
The winner of the procurement must analyze the different routes, assess their feasibility, find the locations of the stops and compare the possibility of technical execution of the entire route. The estimated cost of building the selected route and depot must also be submitted.
Mayor Priit Põldmäe said the project is expensive and has been divided into stages. "In the first stage, it is important to ensure a connection with the small town of Peetri, where the concentration of residents and jobs is the highest," he said.
Rae municipality believes the tram connection would significantly increase the use of public transport in Rae municipality and reduce commuting by car. Ülemiste is approximately 14 km from Jüri and 6 km from Peetri.
Municipality Mayor Madis Sarik said Rae municipality sees the tram network as the "backbone" of the public transport system.
"Rae municipality is the only Estonian municipality which shares a border with the center of Tallinn. The tram is the most efficient mode of urban transport and the introduction of which has changed people's movement habits in other similar municipalities in Europe," Sarik said.
He added the tram line would significantly increase the speed and convenience of public transport for residents and people who work in the municipality.

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Editor: Helen Wright