Niine tänav is currently one of the main roads used to drive out of Põhja-Tallinn, but under the planned new traffic pattern, the direction of the priority road will be changed at the intersection of Tööstuse tänav and Kalaranna tänav, and traffic departing from Kopli Peninsula will be directed to Kalaranna tee instead.

"This means that right now, when driving from Kopli, road users on Tööstuse tänav have the priority road," Põhja-Tallinn City District Elder Manuela Pihlap (Center) explained. "After the changes to the traffic pattern [come into effect], the priority road coming from Kopli will be for drivers on Tööstuse tänav until Kalaranna tee. After that, the priority road will continue to Kalaranna tee. Traffic will thus be directed from Tööstuse tänav to Kalaranna tänav."

According to Pihlap, these changes will be applied during the first weeks of July.

Currently, drivers on Kalaranna tänav and Kalasadama tänav are often stuck at length in traffic jams during rush hour. To combat these jams, green lights will be extended at the intersection of Kalasadama tänav and Põhja puiestee, which should allow more drivers on Kalasadama tänav heading toward the city center pass through per cycle.

The next obstacle for drivers heading toward Central Tallinn is the light at the intersection of Põhja puiestee and Suure Rannavärava tänav, which also interrupts the flow of incoming traffic from Kalaranna tänav. This traffic light will be disabled in order to increase the vehicular throughput of Kalasadama tänav.

Pihlap specified that this traffic light would be covered up, not yet removed altogether during the trial period this summer.

As vehicular traffic is redirected away from the Kalamaja neighborhood's smaller streets, including Niine tänav, Põhja-Tallinn city district government is hoping this will speed up city bus connections as well. The city district elder noted that the number 3 bus, whose route involves smaller streets, often gets stuck in traffic, and a reduction in the traffic load should lead to an improvement in city buses remaining on schedule.

Rannamäe tee to get bike lane

In the course of these changes, the city will also be converting one vehicular lane of Rannamäe tee into a two-way bike lane as well.

In order to reduce congestion, vehicles will also no longer be able to make a left toward the city center at the intersection of Suurtüki tänav and Rannamäe tee; cars on Suurtüki tänav will continue be able to turn right, i.e. toward Balti jaam.

Going forward, the traffic light at Suur Rannavärav and Põhja puiestee will remain in use to regulate tram track crossings.

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