Yesterday, the Estonian Central Party organized a “traffic jam concert” on the Paldiski road, with which they wanted to draw attention to the morning rush hour traffic jams caused by the loss of one lane. Today, the deputy mayor of Tallinn, Kristjan Järvan, announced that he has proposed to the city government to create a lane at the expense of the bicycle lane until it enters the city up to a cross- Sõle road.
Vice-Chairman of Tallinn City Council Monika Haukanõmm pleased with the prompt response of the city government. “I would not have expected the action of the Central Party to give such a quick and positive response. Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan’s decision should be welcomed in every way, as eliminating the cycle lane, even for a short time, significantly reduces rush hour traffic jams Paldiski highway,” said Haukanõmm.
He said that although the development of bicycle infrastructure is important, it must be done in a fair way and take into account the daily life needs of the city’s residents. “I am delighted that the Tallinn city authorities have taken into account the concerns of many city residents and have now also assessed the use of the cycle path, which has turned out to be be rather small. Considering the upcoming cold and snowy weather, when there will be even fewer cyclists in a city, streamlining car traffic in this area is a completely reasonable step,” said Haukanõmm and praised Järvan for his proposal to the city government.
Haukanõmm emphasized that it is important to include several parties and take into account the needs of cyclists, pedestrians and drivers in any traffic management changes. “I hope that such decisions can be made in the future after more detailed consideration,” concluded the deputy chairman of the council.
Guest 1: Monika Haukanõmm – Vice-Chairman of Tallinn City Council
Interviewee, what are your thoughts on the traffic jam concert organized by the Estonian Central Party on the Paldiski road? Do you think this was an effective way to raise awareness about the morning rush hour traffic jams caused by the loss of one lane?
Monika: I believe the traffic jam concert was a creative way to draw attention to the issue at hand. It certainly got people talking about the problem and perhaps prompted some action from the city government. However, I believe that it’s important to find more sustainable and long-term solutions to address the issue rather than relying solely on one-off events like this.
Guest 2: Kristjan Järvan – Deputy Mayor of Tallinn
Interviewee, can you tell us about your proposal to create a lane at the expense of the bicycle lane until it enters the city up to a crossroads? How will this help alleviate the traffic congestion during the morning rush hour?
Kristjan: I proposed to create a separate lane for cars on the Paldiski road at the expense of the bicycle lane. This will provide an additional lane for traffic, which should significantly reduce the traffic jams that occur during the morning rush hour. Although the use of the cycle path has been rather small, taking into account the upcoming cold and snowy weather, implementing this change will be beneficial for the majority of residents who rely on their cars to commute to work.
Monika: From your perspective, how do you balance the development of bicycle infrastructure with the daily needs of city residents?
Kristjan: The development of bicycle infrastructure is important, but it must be done in a fair way that considers everyone’s needs. The current situation was causing undue hardship for many drivers, and I believe taking this step is reasonable under the circumstances. However, we should continue to explore opportunities to improve cycling infrastructure in the future.
Monika: Do you think involving multiple parties and viewpoints is essential when making decisions about traffic management changes?
Kristjan: Absolutely. Any changes to traffic management must take into account the needs of cyclists, ped
