Potholes already forming on recently resurfaced Piibe highway

A combination of winter weather and poor planning have caused significant road damage on a stretch of the Piibe highway which had only recently been repaired.
The road surface is deteriorating, potholes appearing, and gravel coming loose, while local governments along the road's route, along with the Transport Administration (Transpordiamet), are struggling to keep up with maintenance, with some solutions on hold until the spring.
The Piibe highway (Piibe maantee) links Tallinn and Tartu and is an alternative route to the main Tallinn-Tartu highway. Stretches of it are also important regional thoroughfares.
While traffic tends to be lighter on the Piibe road and it is also somewhat of a more scenic route between Estonia's first and second cities, winter conditions are usually worse there as well.
Viktor Kisseljov, head of the administration's road maintenance services department, told "Aktuaalne kaamera": "There is indeed a technological issue there that we are discussing with the contractor, and we definitely want to find a solution to improve the quality."
"Most importantly, the work comes with a three-year warranty. Unfortunately, due to the weather, nothing can be done at the moment. As of today, our contractor is cleaning the roads as needed," Kisseljov went on.
The Transport Administration has also launched an investigation to determine responsibility for the defects, and whether the cost of repairs will fall to the state or the contractor.
The Piibe highway underwent a thorough overhaul at the start of autumn, but now, just over four months later, the road's condition is already deteriorating.
This winter has been marked by frequent shifts between colder and milder temperatures, making roads particularly vulnerable to potholes forming in the freeze-thaw action.
Riivo Noor, Mayor of Anija Rural Municipality in Harju County, towards the northern end of the highway's route, said: "Gravel roads or sealed roads, in particular, take a heavy toll due to the alternating thawing and freezing."
"At present, there is no solution, and we have to wait until spring to start quickly patching holes, strip sealing, or simply grading the gravel roads. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do right now," Noor continued.

Elsewhere, potholes have also appeared, but major repairs will have to wait until spring.
While the Transport Administration is conducting minor repairs on state roads where needed, local governments are waiting until spring to address their own damaged roads.
One of the recurring causes of springtime potholes is unfavorable weather conditions, such as rain or freezing temperatures, which serve to create a porous foundation, allowing the saltwater from winter maintenance to seep in and erode the road over time.
According to road engineer Ain Kendra, these types of issues could be avoided with better planning and funding.
"One issue is that we need to complete all the work clearly during the warmer weather, which means we need the capacity to do the work within a short time frame, before the autumn rains set in," Kendra told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
There are, however, resource issues here, he said.
"As of today, the situation is such that, due to road funding, half of the workers in the asphalt sector have already changed jobs, and whether they can be brought back is uncertain," Kendra added.
The Transport Administration is now seeking solutions to address the defects.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Veronika Uibo.