The Ülemiste City, a business park in Tallinn, is constantly evolving. It is home to almost 500 companies and has Estonia's third largest economy by tax income. In the coming years, for example, Ericsson's manufacturing and technology center will be developed on site as well, employing over 2,000 people.

The development of two north-south tunnels for pedestrians and cycling near the Ülemiste City has already been approved. In addition, another pedestrian tunnel is also being built with state funding to allow easier access to the Vesse platform.

At the same time, negotiations are taking place over whether to build additional access for vehicles and public transportation, next to the pedestrian and cycling tunnels. The sole car tunnel in Ülemiste would connect Kesk-Sõjamäe tänav and Kantsi tänav north of the railway, enabling cars to drive from Ülemiste to Peterburi maantee.

Guido Pärnits, the chief executive of the Ülemiste Campus, said that a car tunnel is essential and suggested maximizing the Rail Baltic terminal's construction to connect the campus to Tallinn. "Of course, such a tunnel is necessary to redistribute the traffic," he said.

Madle Lippus, Tallinn's deputy mayor, agreed that Ülemiste should be connected to the rest of the city, regardless of the means of transport. However, Lippus said that negotiations with the climate ministry regarding the financing of the Kantsi tunnel are still underway.

"There is no progress at this time, but all sides appreciate how important this tunnel would be," he said.

Sander Salmu, the Ministry of Climate's undersecretary for mobility and transportation, said that while the state is interested in guaranteeing adequate connectivity in the city, no concrete agreements have been reached.

"First of all, there is no project proposal to determine how to tackle this technically. Secondly, there is no comprehensive solution to the land ownership problem that exists there on the Peterburi side. The state is willing to continue this dialogue because we understand that this is an important area for development, but for now it is only a potential development," Salmu said.

Salmu said that today the state has not planned the money for the tunnel and has not included it in any development documents.

The European Union's reconstruction fund had earmarked €31 million for the construction of the Rail Baltic viaducts. But Salmu said it was too late to use that money now.

"The funds from the recovery plan must be used by 2026, by which time the sites must be ready. It is very risky to use these funds, even in theory, for the Kantsi tänav car tunnel," Salmu said.

Salmu said that if the project is delayed, the European Commission could ask for the money from the recovery plan to be returned, while part of the money from the recovery plan is also used to build the Kantsi pedestrian tunnel.

Guido Pärnits, general manager of the Ülemiste City, said he still believes a tunnel will be built at some point because of the need to improve mobility on this site and in the city in general.

"After all, the railway really does bisect the city, so I think this construction period should be used as much as possible to build these sub-frames, so that at some point when it is financially viable, it could be completed," he said.

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