Tallinn City Government said, after it passed the city's supplementary budget, that the reconstruction of Lastekodu and Kotka streets and the Tondi overpass will require more money, as will the new tram route between Ülemiste and the Old Harbor area.

The latter project, where work should be largely completed by the end of this year, is estimated to cost €6.6 million more than originally planned, Randar Jõesaar, head of the Tallinn Public Works Department's planning and construction office, told ERR.

The new tram line was intended to cost €46 million of which €36.5 million will come from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility. But the extra €6.6 million will need to be found from Tallinn's budget, Jõesaar noted.

The project to build the new Tondi overpass and reconstruct parts of Kotka tänav has also proved more expensive. While the works were set to run the city €8.8 million, the cost is now nearer to €10 million.

Jõesaar said that the Tondi train crossing will require another €760,000 or 8.7 percent of the estimated cost and that one reason for this is the city's decision not to cut down a number of trees.

He said that while the project initially prescribed cutting down 52 trees, it was found that more valuable specimens can be spared. While the city ended up felling just 26 trees, this required drawing up new designs for railroad embankment ramps and light traffic paths in the works area.

Electricity and communications cables plans also needed to be reworked after their locations proved inaccurate.

Delays in the project's schedule also increased the cost.

"According to the contract's specified railway window schedule, the installation of the railway viaduct was to take place at the end of August 2023. However, since the city decided to close the Tondi railway crossing a month later than planned, after the Song Festival, the railway viaducts were actually installed at the end of November during the school holidays, when it was possible to close rail traffic. Due to this and additional requirements from Elron and EVR, the cost of the overpass works increased," said Jõesaar.

The renovation of Lastekodu tänav, which has not yet started, is also expected to be more expensive than anticipated. The construction contract was signed on May 23, and it is currently difficult to estimate how much the costs will increase, according to Jõesaar. Major construction work on Lastekodu tänav will begin on June 26.

The planned tunnel construction costs have also increased. However, since some of these projects have been extended into the next year due to planning delays, they will not impact this year's city budget. For example, it is currently unknown whether the construction of the underpasses near Kristiine Center will begin this fall or early next year.

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