Another segment of Central Tallinn's streets reopens, in one direction
Another section of road in Central Tallinn reopened today, Wednesday, in one direction, the city government says.
The stretch of Gonsiori, between Reimani and Laikmaa (see map) is now open to city center-bound vehicle traffic.
The section had been closed since April due to the ongoing construction of a tram extension to the Old City Harbor.
The newly-opened zone has a 30 km/h speed limit and as noted is for city center-bound traffic; county buses, ie. those connecting Tallinn to outlying areas of Harju County, are the only vehicles permitted to travel in the opposite direction at present.
Tallinn Deputy Mayor Vladimir Svet (Center) said: "We are happy to report that construction works in the city center are progressing well, and we are opening new sections of the street to traffic," noting the development's proximity to Christmas and encouraging people to "rediscover the streets, shops, cafes, and everything else that was less accessible during the traffic restrictions."
All previous public transport detours remain in effect, Deputy Mayor Svet said.
The development is one step further towards the end of traffic mayhem in Central Tallinn which began in fall 2022 and gained pace in spring this year after several key thoroughfares were dug up.
The last streets to re-open, Hobujaama and Laikmaa, are those with the most work being done to them – since the new tramway itself runs along this North-South route. These streets will not be fully open until late 2024, the city government says.
The city government has also approved an action plan for business support measures aimed at mitigating the impacts of prolonged construction works on those businesses which lost custom due to the ongoing work.
When complete, the Old City Harbour tramway extension will run approximately 2.5 kilometers, from the intersection of Kivisilla and Gonsiori, to Põhja pst.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte