Deputy mayor wants to pause reconstruction of Tallinn's Ristiku tänav
Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Pärtel-Peeter Pere (Reform) wants put the Ristiku tänav reconstruction project on hold so local concerns can be taken into account.
Last week, Pere announced on social media that he would make a proposal to stop the construction and redo the project's design work.
"You can't rebuild streets like this. I propose to modify the Ristiku tänav project. And not start building it next year," he wrote.
The deputy mayor told ERR that since locals have objected to the plans, it is likely that work on Ristiku will not start in 2025.
"The final decision will be taken – as always – in the city hall during the budget discussions," he said.
Madle Lippus (SDE), the deputy mayor responsible for city planning, said Pere has not yet made a corresponding proposal to the city government. She said the decision will be made during budget negotiations.
"If Pere makes such a proposal, the arguments must be considered. Our aim has been to align the road works with those of the network operators, and this means that at some point the works will have to be carried out there," Lippus said.
Pere said many local residents have complained and their criticism must be taken seriously – especially as Tallinn's former head architect Endrik Mänd is among them.
"Mänd's criticism was that the street was not designed for the locals who live there," the deputy mayor said.
Mänd also said the space does not take the mobility pyramid into consideration which gives priority to pedestrians and puts vehicles at the bottom. He said the Ristiku project made cars a priority but also took away parking options.
Lippus said she is aware of the parking concerns. "With parking, there is an idea that we will build a parking garage there to solve parking problems," she said.
"The engagement meetings have been a meaningless formality. And the new street goes against the principles of modern urban space," Pere summed up Mänd's criticism.
Lippus said these meetings took place under the previous Center-SDE city government. If necessary, the process can be restarted.
However, residents cannot always expect that the project will be redone according to their suggestions, she said. The planned work should still take place because Tallinn's urban space needs to be renewed, Lippus added.
"It can't be that we plan the streets and then decide not to do anything," she said.
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Editor: Helen Wright
