Ministry earmarks half of EU support for specific projects

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications has allocated €236.5m of EU funding to improving the country’s transportation infrastructure.
For the 2014-2020 budget period, a total of €447.3m will be made available for transport and infrastructure projects in Estonia, of which €85.4m have already been used, the ministry announced.
The largest projects in the coming years were the expansion of the Kose-Mäo section of the Tallinn-Tartu road into a four-lane motorway, renewing Tallinn's Russalka and Haabersti intersections, the renovation of Gonsiori Street in Tallinn, and the extension of the Peterburi Street tram line to Tallinn airport, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Kristen Michal (Reform) said.
Around €170m has been allocated to the Tallinn-Tartu motorway. The construction of Reidi Street, a new thoroughfare along the sea in Tallinn, and the Russalka intersection, at a cost of €28.5m, is to begin towards the end of this year.
The allocation of funds to upgrade the infrastructure of railway stations began in 2015. So far, local governments have submitted 44 applications, of which 31 were granted funding. In addition, nearly €35m will be spent on renovating the Tallinn-Rapla and Tapa-Tartu railway lines.
Some €35m of EU support will be invested in works at Tallinn airport.
In the 2007-2013 budget period, €638.2m of EU funds were made available for investment in the transport sector, all of which was used up by the end of the period.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn
Source: BNS