"We confirmed that the solution helped reduce vehicle speeds, but considering the three accidents during the test period where drivers collided with the chicanes, we concluded that the spacing used is not suitable for roads with such high traffic volumes," said Jarmo Vooglaine, head of the road maintenance and traffic management unit at the Transport Administration.

The three-month test period for the chicanes installed on the Rõngu-Otepää road ended in September. Afterward, the Transport Administration decided that chicanes with this type of spacing and marking are not appropriate for high-traffic roads, the agency announced on Tuesday.

The obstacles will be removed on October 8.

"The goal of the project was to find a cost-effective solution to speeding on a section where vehicle speeds at the city entrance did not ensure adequate safety," the administration added.

A speed limit of 50 km/h is in effect at the Otepää entrance, but before the installation of the chicanes, 15 percent of vehicles on this section of road were traveling at speeds of 65 to over 70 km/h. During the installation period, the average speed dropped by 25 percent, falling below 50 km/h, according to the Transport Administration.

The traffic volume on this section is 2,100 vehicles per day. The distance between the chicane islands was 15 meters.

The installation of the obstacles on the Rõngu-Otepää road cost approximately €3,556, excluding VAT.

The chicanes generated mixed opinions among drivers, with many considering the traffic-calming experiment unsuccessful.

Previously, the Transport Administration removed a notorious metal central barrier installed on the Tallinn-Rapla road, which had also become infamous due to accidents.

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