Our northern neighbors, Estonia, face sanctions and penalties from the European Union if Estonians do not complete the reconstruction of the Via Baltica in their country by 2030. One of the requirements requires that all intersections be rebuilt into two-level traffic nodes, however, Estonians have their own difficulties and problems.
As you know, Via Baltica is part of the TEN-T road network between the main European highways. Although the highway is very busy and important, most of it is currently one lane in each direction. It is not suitable for such a busy road, so various reconstruction works must be carried out until 2030 to make it safer and comply with the legislation of the European Union.
“We need to introduce two-level traffic junctions at all intersections. This means that there can be no intersections on the highway where left turns are possible. It is also very important that the road has a safety barrier in the middle, thereby significantly reducing the risks of a frontal collision,” says Tarmo Mottus, head of the road maintenance department of the Estonian Transport Administration, in an interview with the Estonian public media ERR.
These requirements primarily concern the Via Baltica section from Tallinn to the village of Uulu in Pärnu county. From 8 to 30 idle vehicles move there every day. Estonians have the right to apply deviations to the section from the border of Latvia to the village of Uulu, because less than 5,000 vehicles move on this section every day, so it may not be necessary to rebuild it.
At the moment, it is not exactly clear what exactly will happen if Estonians do not manage to complete all the works on time, but it is almost certain that they will not escape from sanctions and punishments. Estonians should also look for additional funding so that all the necessary work can be completed on time. Currently, road reconstruction works are underway from Uulu to Pärnu, where a 2+2 lane road is being built and will be completed next year. Similarly, there are 39 kilometers of 2+2 and 2+1 lane highways near Tallinn, but there will also be various reconstruction works that will cost around 79 million. Estonian estimates show that at least 274 million euros will be needed to complete all works on the territory of their country. It is calculated that meeting the deadlines means twice as much investment as those planned for now – they are an additional 50 million euros per year in order to rebuild Via Baltica by 2030. The Estonian side also points out that it is increasingly difficult to get European funding for these projects, because many countries want to get it, and at the same time there is internal competition, because the construction of Rail Baltica is also underway. Estonians might have to cover about 50% of the project costs.
Substantial construction works of Via Baltica are also underway in Lithuania, in the section from Kaunas to the Lithuanian border. The construction of a 2+2 lane highway is already underway there and it is planned to be completed within a couple of years. If everything goes according to plan for the Lithuanians, in 2025 or 2026 it will be possible to drive from Kaunas to the Polish border on a 2+2 lane highway. A 2+2 lane road has already been built in Poland to the Lithuanian border and it is gradually being opened to traffic – right after the border the road is already open and traffic is moving along it, but some sections of the intended route are being built. When this project is completed, the Lithuanians plan to rebuild the remaining Via Baltica route up to the border of Latvia by 2030.
2023-08-07 09:00:00
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