Wikipedia

Estonian national road 4

Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla maantee (Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway, alternatively Põhimaantee nr 4, unofficially abbreviated T4) is a 192-kilometre-long[1] north-south national main road in Estonia. The route follows the same path as European route E67, also known as Via Baltica. The road forms a majorly important north-south freight and travel corridor, connecting Estonia (and the rest of the Baltics) with the rest of Europe. Despite this, the only other major town serviced is Pärnu, though other main highways do branch off the T4. The highway ends on the border with Latvia in Ikla.

National Road 4 shield}}
National Road 4
Põhimaantee 4
Pärnu Highway
Map
Tallinna-Pärnu maantee 67km.jpg
Route information
Length192 km (119 mi)
Major junctions
FromTallinn
Major intersections Tallinn

Järve, Tallinn
Kanama
Ääsmäe
Märjamaa
Märjamaa
Pärnu
Pärnu
Pärnu

Uulu
ToIkla border with  Latvia
Location
CountryEstonia
Counties Harju County

 Rapla County

 Pärnu County
Highway system
← T3→ T5

In 2021, the highest traffic volumes were exiting Tallinn, with AADT measured at 35,000, though this figure drops noticeably past Laagri. This is the highest recorded volume of traffic anywhere on the highway network.[2] Being the only highway on the network that services over 1000 trucks across its entire length, congestion and dangers arising from frequent overtaking are a major issue.

The road is a dual carriageway for 13 kilometres exiting Tallinn. Isolated sections of 2+1 exist as well, however all future projects foresee a 2+2 cross-section.[3]

History

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The route Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla was part of the historical postal route between Tallinn and Riga, connecting the governatorial capitals of Estonia and Livonia. Post houses and inns were well established along the road already by the end of the 17th century. In 1800 a new route between Pärnu and Riga was established via Mõisaküla and Valmiera, replacing the previously used coastal route via Häädemeeste.[4]

The end of the 1930s saw large-scale construction works planned on the route Laatre-Pärnu-Tallinn, to accommodate foreign visitors travelling by car to the 1940 Helsinki Olympics. The project, named "Olympic Way", foresaw the straightening of 55 kilometres of road sections and blacktop laid on 70 kilometres, replacing cobblestones. Construction began in 1939, but after the outbreak of war, materials were hard to come by and the Olympics eventually cancelled. This also cancelled the Olympic Way.[5][6]

Under Soviet occupation, the highway was one of three considered to have All-Union importance (alongside Tallinn-Narva, Tallinn-Tartu).[7] Large scale reconstruction was undertaken in 1961-1972 between Tallinn and Märjamaa.[8] A bypass for Pärnu, including a bridge across the Pärnu river, were completed in 1970 and 1976 respectively.[9] The first stretch of dual carriageway was opened by the 1980 Moscow Olympics, as the sailing event was held in Tallinn. A further stretch was opened during the 1980s.

The first international discussions around Via Baltica, a highway connecting Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas and Warsaw were held in 1988.[10] Although progress has not been as successful as envisaged then, the tenets of these discussions are still held firm and eventual full development is at least ideally expected.

The first developments after re-independence saw the reconstruction and widening of Pärnu bypass in 2009-2012.[11] In 2017 and 2020, 2+1 sections were constructed between Ääsmäe-Kohatu and bypassing Kernu.[12][13]

Further dual carriageway sections are to be constructed in the 2020s between Libatse-Nurme, Pärnu-Uulu and Päädeva-Konuvere and a further bypass of Pärnu.[3][14]

Route description

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The T4 is a major north–south highway in Estonia connecting the capital of the country, Tallinn, to the fourth largest city in Estonia, Pärnu, and ultimately the Latvian border (where the Latvian A1 continues to Riga). The T4 is a part of European route E67, also known as the Via Baltica.

The route begins in Tallinn from Viru Square and runs through the city for 13 kilometres, following the city streets of Pärnu maantee and Vabaduse puiestee. Exiting the city it services the borough of Laagri. The T11 is met in Kanama at a cloverleaf interchange. Dual carriageway continues until Ääsmäe, with the outermost lane heading towards Haapsalu as the T9. A further 13 kilometres of 2+1 road follows, with a new route bypassing Kernu.

From here the route is generally straight, but does go through boroughs and villages, such as Märjamaa and Are. Another very short 2+1 sections precedes Sauga and Pärnu. The road turns left onto Pärnu bypass, which, while having 2+2 lanes, has at-grade intersections and traffic lights. The Pärnu river is crossed and the road turns left again at an intersection with Riia maantee.

The Pärnu-Uulu 2+2 section begins here on a slightly straightened route as compared to before, culminating in a trumpet interchange with the T6 in Uulu. The highway continues along the coast, meeting only the boroughs of Võiste and Häädemeeste before culminating on the Latvian border in Ikla. The former border station serves as a rest stop. The road continues as the A1 in Latvia.

Road length of lane

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13 km 14 km 13 km 80 km 2 km 12 km 6 km 52 km
Urban 2+2 road 2+1 road 1+1 road 2+1 road Urban 2+2 road 1+1 road

Route table

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The route passes through Harju County (Tallinn, Saue), Rapla County (Märjamaa), Pärnu County (Tori, Pärnu, Häädemeeste).

Municipality Location km mi Destinations Notes
  Tallinn Viru väljak 0.0 0.0 Viru Square is the starting point for four highways - Tallinn-Narva, Tallinn-Tartu, Tallinn-Pärnu and Tallinn-Paldiski. Concurrency with T8.
Vabaduse väljak   Urban intersection
Järve   – Viljandi highway, Rapla Urban intersection
Liiva   – Tammemäe Urban intersection
  Saue Veskitammi   – Laagri centre, Seljaku street, Nõlvaku street
Tänassilma  
Start of dual carriageway
  Saue   Topi   – Harku
  Kanama     – Keila, Saue, Paldiski, Narva, Tartu Reconstruction planned to strengthen T11 viaduct and add collectors on T4.
  Kanama   – Jälgimäe, Saue village Northbound exit and entrance only
Rahula   – Harku At-grade; all-directions access via U-turns
  Jõgisoo   – Valingu;
Vesiveski road
Voore road
  Ääsmäe   – Haapsalu, Virtsu;
  – Ääsmäe
 
 
End of dual carriageway
Start of 2+1
  Saue   Kernu   – Kohatu, Kernu;
 
 
  Haiba   – Riisipere, Kernu, Haiba
End of 2+1
  Saue Kustja   – Kernu, Kohila Northbound exit only, formed by former T4 route
  Märjamaa Vaidi   – Riisipere, Pajaka
Varbola   – Rapla, Varbola centre
Varbola   – Lümandu, Sipa
Vaimõisa   – Russalu
Orgita   – Rapla
  Orgita     To be constructed as part of Päädeva-Konuvere 2+2 section
Orgita   – Märjamaa, Koluvere
Märjamaa   – Märjamaa, Valgu
Haimre   – Märjamaa
Haimre   – Moka, Haimre centre
  Haimre   To be constructed as part of Päädeva-Konuvere 2+2 section
Naistevalla   – Naistevalla
Konuvere   – Paeküla;
  – Sulu
  Konuvere         To be constructed as part of Päädeva-Konuvere 2+2 section
Konuvere  
  – Kilgi
Päärdu  
Päärdu  
Päärdu   – Manni, Valgu, Velise
Jädivere   – Vana-Vigala, Kivi-Vigala
Jädivere  
  Põhja-Pärnumaa Jädivere   – Langerma centre
  – Valgu, Kaelase
Jädivere   – Libatse road
Pärnu-Jaagupi   – Pärnu-Jaagupi centre, Koonga
  Kergu     To be constructed as part of Libatse-Are 2+2 section
Pärnu-Jaagupi   – Kergu, Pööravere
Pärnu-Jaagupi   – Pärnu-Jaagupi centre
  Halinga     To be constructed as part of Libatse-Are 2+2 section
Halinga   – Valistre
  Tori Are   – Elbu
  Are   To be constructed as part of Are-Nurme 2+2 section
Are   – Suigu, Pärnu-Rakvere highway
Are   – Are centre
Nurme   – Tõstamaa, Audru
  Nurme   To be constructed as part of Are-Nurme 2+2 section
Start of 2+1
  Tori Nurme   – Suigu, Kilksama Northbound exit and entrance only
End of 2+1
  Tori Sauga   – Sauga centre
  – Urge, Kilksama, Sauga 		Roundabout
  Pärnu Ehitajate   – Lihula, Audru
Papiniidu   – Rakvere;
Tammiste road
Raeküla Riia maantee
Raeküla   – Tori, Sindi
Start of dual carriageway
  Häädemeeste   Tõllapulga
  Mereküla   – Valga, Viljandi, Kilingi-Nõmme;
End of dual carriageway
  Häädemeeste Uulu   – Soometsa, Uulu centre
Metsaküla   – Tahkuranna
Metsaküla   – Leina
Rannametsa   – Rannametsa
Häädemeeste   – Häädemeeste, Soometsa
Häädemeeste   – Häädemeeste, Kilingi-Nõmme, Valga-Uulu highway
Penu   – Urissaare, Jaagupi
Penu   – Kabli, Massiaru
Majaka   – Treimani
Ikla   – Ikla
Ikla border crossing with   Latvia
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Maanteeamet - Aruannete koostamine - Teede nimekiri - Print Preview page". Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  2. ^ "Liiklussagedus riigiteedel". Transpordiamet. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  3. ^ a b "Via Baltical on lähiaastatel plaanis ehitada välja mitu 2+2 teelõiku". Pärnu Postimees. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  4. ^ Eesti NSV Riiklik Ajaloo Keskarhiiv (edaspidi RAKA), f. 278, nim. 1, s.-ü. XI: 1, 1. 72–74
  5. ^ Rääsk, Mairo (May 2004). "Suurprojekt "OLÜMPIATEE"" (PDF). Teeleht. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2021.
  6. ^ Rääsk, Mairo (September 2004). "Suurprojekt "OLÜMPIATEE"" (PDF). Teeleht. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2021.
  7. ^ Rääsk, Mairo (20 November 2010). "Aastasajad vormisid looduslikust rajast tiheda liiklusega Tallinna-Tartu maantee". Sakala. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Ettevõtte ajalugu". TREV-2 GRUPP. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  9. ^ Kann, Tõnu (17 March 2007). "Pärnu suured sillad 1803-2007". Pärnu Postimees. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  10. ^ Kaldas, Aleksander (June 2009). "Protokoll Via Baltica projekti algusaegadest" (PDF). Teeleht. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2021.
  11. ^ "PÄRNU ÜMBERSÕIT SAI VALMIS!" (PDF). Teeleht. December 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Ääsmäe-Kohatu lõik valmib detsembris". Harju Elu. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Kernu ümbersõit on liiklusele avatud". Harju Elu. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  14. ^ "13km 2+2 section of Via Baltica highway to be completed by 2027". ERR Uudised. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
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