The transport projects of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications will draw €161m from the 2017 state budget.

The biggest single investment in the amount of €34.8m is in the further development and construction of Rail Baltic. In addition, capital repairs of the Tallinn-Keila-Paldiski and Keila-Riisipere railroad sections will cost €7.5m, and those of the Tapa-Tartu section will cost €3.6m.

Reidi street, to be built in Tallinn, has been a subject of heated dispute for months. The city council has justified the project with the expected traffic reduction it would bring, as trucks coming from the commercial port area would have quicker access to Laagna street, leading out to the Tallinn ring road.

On their way out, they would bypass a section of Narva street, pass Kadriorg Park, and once over the hill would then move on to Laagna tee, which would take them out of town relatively quickly.

The Narva/Pirita street crossing right next to Kadriorg Park is one of Tallinn’s rush-hour bottlenecks, with daily traffic jams and a high incidence of traffic accidents. The section of Narva street leading up to it coming from the city center is five lanes wide, and includes tram tracks as well.

The 2017 budget allocates €15.8m to the construction of Reidi street. Other street construction projects include the second stage of the construction of the Tallinn ring road (€14m), construction of the Ääsmäe-Kernu road section (€11.9m), interchanges on the Tallinn-Narva highway (€9.4m), and the Topi interchange of the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway (€6m).

Within the capital, the Haabersti crossing will be rebuilt (€10.6m), the surface of Gonsiori street renewed (€4.3m), and the traffic direction system leading out of the city towards Keila and Paldiski overhauled (€4.4m).

Other budget expenses include the continuing runway renovation and extension works at Tallinn Airport (€12m), a new ferry for the route from Hiiumaa to Saaremaa (€3.3m), and the second stage of the rebuilding of Hundipea harbor in North Tallinn (€3.2m).