Gallery: Jõe and Pronksi streets reopen to regular traffic
A major thoroughfare in central Tallinn was reopened Friday evening to great fanfare, after a year of upheaval which has seen the route closed to traffic.
The reopening of Pronksi, which runs North-South from Tartu mnt/Rävala, to Narva mnt (see map below), where it continues northward as Jõe, was marked by various festivities laid on by the City of Tallinn (see gallery).
Not only are both Jõe and Pronksi now fully open, having been partly or wholly closed for around a year, but also their intersection with the major East-West Narva mnt thoroughfare is now open to traffic.
Additionally, while Laikmaa and Hobujaama streets a few blocks to the West remain closed, their intersection with Narva mnt is also now open, albeit with just one lane functioning at present.
This should mean the worst of the traffic gridlock in central Tallinn which began in earnest in the spring has now passed.
Some work is still ongoing on Jõe, including landscaping – a total of 43 trees and 1,372 shrubs are to be planted alongside Jõe and Pronksi, which have been also made more cyclist and pedestrian friendly, with new sidewalks and cycle lanes still being built.
Major subterranean infrastructure works were also undertaken.
Drivers are asked to follow temporary traffic lights and signs while these last phases are completed.
The reopening of the two streets also spells change in the operation of public transport routes, starting today, Saturday
These include bus route 5, which will return to its pre-roadworks route olong Narva mnt, and bus numbers 1 and 29, which will now pass through the Viru bus terminal.
In recent months, the latter facility had been somewhat of a ghost town, with only bus 40 passing through.
Buses 1 and 29 as well as 34, 38, 44, 51, 60 and 63 will be detoured, due to the work-in-progress on Hobujaama/Laikmaa, where a tram link to the Old City Harbor is being installed.
School bus lines from Viimsi keskus, outside of Tallinn, to the Baltijaam station and from nearby Tammneeme keskus, also to the train station, will start to travel along Narva mnt, Pronksi , Rävala , Kaubamaja and Estonia pst. From the start of the new work week.
The changed route will make stops at Raua, Paperi and Tornimäe, ERR reports.
More detailed and up-to-date public transport information is here.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
