Nordecon AS will complete the construction work at the 4th construction site of the western bypass and the 1st construction site of the eastern circuit in Tartu ahead of schedule – the outcome of the project is one of the largest transport junctions in southern Estonia, the Postimaja traffic junction, a total of three overpasses and about 4 kilometres of new four-lane road with necessary infrastructure. The total cost of the work at both construction sites was 28.8 million euros exclusive of VAT.
“Although the deadline of the work at the Western circuit is next February, everything is basically ready to date – we have to put some finishing touches and install additional traffic signs,” said Erkki Suurorg, member of the Management Board at Nordecon AS. “Shortly, we will be able to deliver the site to contracting entity, the Southern Region of the Road Administration. Good cooperation and mutual understanding with the contracting entity is clearly one important reason why we were able to finish such a large-scale construction project as early as two months ahead of time; and every constructor would be very happy for such a partnership."
Erkki Suurorg says that the finished transport junction will link the western bypass in Tartu with the solution of the eastern circuit that is also being built by Nordecon and where the deadline of completing the site contracted by the city of Tartu has been set for January 2014. The construction work at this site will also be finished by the end of November.
“The Postimaja traffic junction will create a good gate for Tartu’s road users on the largest trunk road between northern and southern Estonia. From now on, the different districts of Tartu are well interconnected and this should have a positive effect on the traffic flow in the city centre; another good thing is that the unsafe railway crossing at Tõravere was also removed during the construction,” noted Erkki Suurorg.
The 4th construction site of Tartu’s western bypass between the 187.35 and 189.12 kilometre point of the Tallinn-Tartu-Võru-Luhamaa highway stretched from the end of the Variku overpass to the intersection of Lemmatsi road, which leads to the Rehe Hotel and is situated in the Ülenurme rural municipality. The construction site also covered the construction of Rehepapi road in the Ülenurme rural municipality.
In the course of work, almost two kilometres of the main road were reconstructed into a four-lane highway, where the directions have been separated by crash barriers. The total length of the ramps and other side roads of the traffic junction is almost 6 kilometres. More than 10 kilometres of gravel roads in Tartu County were covered with dust-free pavement; cycle and pedestrian tracks were also built. The Postimaja traffic junction received railway and road overpasses. New rainwater pipes and drainage systems and street lighting were also set up. In addition, 275 metres of noise barrier walls were mounted.
The 1st construction site of Tartu’s eastern circuit stretched for almost two kilometres from the Postimaja up to the Tartu Prison. The work comprised the construction of the multi level crossing on Võru Street with an overpass, four ramps, two traffic circles and collector roads. The major part of the new road has four lanes. Cycle and pedestrian tracks were constructed on both sides of the road and these run for almost the entire length of the road.
The constructor was Nordecon AS, the contracting entities were respectively the Road Administration and Tartu Municipal Government, while the owner supervision was performed by AS Taalri Varahaldus.
The festive opening of the Tartu bypass will take place on Friday, 22 November.
