Pärnu-Uulu Via Baltica two-lane highway section completed
A nearly 10-kilometer stretch of highway in southwestern Estonia has been upgraded to four-lanes, at a cost of €35 million.
The project, the Pärnu-Uulu road, a part of the Via Baltica (European route E67), highway, beat its deadline by around six months, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported.
Priit Sauk, Director General of the Transport Administration (Transpordiamet), told AK: "Really, the builder surprised us. They were very, very diligent, along with their subcontractors, in overcoming all the kind of risks which can be found all around the world."
According to Sauk, the road section, which runs south of Pärnu city towards the border with Latvia, can host up to 15,000 vehicles per day, and is also a significant route for trucks and other heavy vehicles.
In addition to the highway-widening, two major interchanges were constructed, four pedestrian tunnels were built, and approximately three kilometers of pedestrian and bicycle paths were laid down.
The highway section also has new noise barriers and smart traffic signage installed, AK reported.
The construction lasted two years and as noted was completed six months ahead of schedule.
In the coming years, the Transport Administration says it will focus on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway, which runs to the border.
Sauk added: "At the beginning of this year, only 22 percent of this highway met European standard requirements for major roads," adding that once all projects are completed, that proportion should rise to around 50 percent.
Other planned improvements include those to the Are-Nurme section, to the north of Pärnu, and a project at the Märjamaa intersection in Rapla County.
Work for improving Estonia's highway network to two lanes in two directions (or "2+2," a "2+1" configuration is also constructed in some places) has been ongoing for many years and has faced budget challenges. The deployment of heavy military vehicles including those used by Estonia's NATO allies has also concentrated minds on road infrastructure improvements.
Via Baltica, European route E67, runs from Prague to Tallinn, and by ferry extension, to Helsinki.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Kristi Raidla.
