Simson: Four-lane highway between Jõhvi, Narva to be built by 2025
According to Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Kadri Simson (Center), the construction of a four-lane highway between the Northeastern Estonian cities of Jõhvi and Narva that has been on the agenda for over a decade will become a reality by around 2025, regional paper Põhjarannik writes.
Responding to the newspaper's question regarding when it will be possible to drive from Jõhvi to Narva along a four-lane highway, Simson said that this will "almost definitely" be the Center Party's election promise ahead of the 2019 Riigikogu elections.
In addition to the Center Party, she believed that the upgrading of Estonia's three main highways into four-lane highways will become the election promise of other parties as well, which should make the realization of this plan realistic in the event of various coalition governments.
"The decision will come after the 2019 elections, as a financial agreement is necessary," the minister said. She explained that it will take approximately six years from decisions to the completion of the four-lane road, as it will take time to acquire land, design the road, conduct a procurement in addition to the construction itself. Based on the case of Tallinn-Tartu Highway being upgraded to a four-lane highway, she noted, "a decision was made in 2016 and it will be completed by 2022."
Estonian Road Administration Director General Priit Sauk on Thursday said that the estimated cost of the construction of the four-lane highway section between Jõhvi and Narva is €200-220 million.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS