Construction of the Riga-Vaksali traffic junction finally completed
Tartu City Government Press Release
8 December /
On Thursday, 9 December at 11.00, the Riga-Vaksali traffic junction will be opened in Tartu, along with a new cycle and pedestrian traffic bridge, which was named the Vaksali Bridge in a public naming contest.
Mayor Urmas Klaas calls the reconstruction of the Riga-Vaksali intersection one of the most important road construction projects in Tartu in the last decade. ‘Tartu is a city that promotes healthy mobility. Located in one of the busiest sections of the city, the cycle and pedestrian traffic bridge and tunnels make traffic safer and the connection with the City Centre, Maarjamõisa and other parts of the city more convenient and faster,’ said Klaas. He added that the renewed intersection with its attractive appearance will significantly enrich the entire urban space of Tartu.
Unique construction techniques in Estonia were employed in the reconstruction of the Riga-Vaksali intersection A unique and complex tunnelling technology in Estonia was used in the construction of the intersection. In this way, the prefabricated concrete tunnel elements, each weighing 1200 tonnes, were pushed through the embankment of the railway dam,’ said Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm. ‘Despite the complicated construction works, the organization of work went well and the object was completed before the planned deadline.’
The aim of the reconstruction of one of the city’s busiest intersections was to make the area safer and more convenient for cycle and pedestrian track users, and to increase the capacity of the intersection. Cycle and pedestrian traffic tunnels were built on both sides of Riga Street, the road and the railway viaduct crossing the road were reconstructed, next to which a cycle and pedestrian traffic bridge was built.
The design and construction of the Riga-Vaksali intersection cost EUR 5,272,275. The works were financed by the City of Tartu and the Cohesion Fund project ‘Development of Tartu Railway Station and Increasing Accessibility’.
According to Andrus Treier, Director of the Environmental Investment Centre, the Tartu Riga-Vaksali traffic junction is one of the largest projects that has been renovated in recent years with the help of the EIC. ‘We are pleased that people are able to comfortably combine environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as public transport, electric vehicles and bicycles,’ added Treier.
Reconstruction of the Riga-Vaksali intersection and construction of a cycle and pedestrian traffic bridge began in April 2020. The reconstruction project for the intersection was based on the preliminary project prepared by Tinter-Projekt OÜ, which takes into account the winning works of the design competition ‘Sindlinahk’ (Part OÜ). The intersection was built by AS TREV-2 Grupp.
Last changed 08.12.2021
