Three years ago, the minister of economic affairs and infrastructure issued a directive establishing the Transport Administration's road infrastructure development investment plan for 2021-2027. The plan includes road maintenance investment projects co-financed by the European Union's Cohesion Fund and the Regional Development Fund.

Now, based on the Transport Administration's assessment, the progress of the work has created a need to modify the scope of two projects and adjust the expected completion deadlines for two others.

The planned length of the 2+2 lane section between Pärnu and Uulu is being changed. While the original plan called for a 9.6-kilometer-long section, the new plan reduces it to 8.6 kilometers. One reason for this adjustment is uncertainty regarding the cross-section design of the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road beyond this project towards Ikla.

"A special spatial plan is set to be prepared to determine the most appropriate cross-section and section length," the Transport Administration stated.

Additionally, the administration noted that the final segment of the road experiences a twofold decrease in traffic volume, making further construction of a 2+2 road financially unfeasible.

At the same time, more road weather monitoring systems will be installed than originally planned, as the technology has become more cost-effective.

Construction of two road sections postponed

The construction of the 2+2 lane section between Libatse and Nurme in Pärnu County will be postponed by two years, with the new completion deadline set for 2029 instead of 2027.

According to the Transport Administration, the deadline extension is necessary due to the failure of the initial construction tender and the need to find a more optimal solution.

The completion deadline for the Harku grade-separated intersection on Paldiski highway in Harju County has also been pushed back. Originally scheduled for completion this year, the new estimated deadline is now either 2027 or 2028.

The revised timeline for this road project is linked to the outcomes of all tenders for the Libatse-Nurme 2+2 lane section. The administration plans to begin construction on the Harku intersection only after these results are known.

The Transport Administration's initial plan was to build the 22-kilometer Libatse-Nurme section of Via Baltica in two phases. Last summer, a tender was issued for the 12-kilometer Are-Nurme segment, but it failed. Now, the project will be divided into four phases.

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