Plans to redesign the Kristiine traffic junction have advanced to the point where three city departments have drawn up a spatial solution. The city is now launching a procurement process to commission a preliminary design for the new traffic hub. In July, the terms of reference for the Kristiine hub's preliminary project are expected to be made public, along with the likely design conditions.

The plan includes three major changes: consolidating public transport stops in front of Kristiine Center, converting the Taksopargi — also known as Kristiine — intersection into a roundabout and rerouting public transport from Tulika tänav to Madara tänav. While the plan is still general and details are yet to be worked out, these three main objectives are unlikely to change.

The most concrete part of the plan is relocating all public transport stops to Kristiine Center. The key issue is how to do this technically, as the stops are currently scattered across the junction.

"Bringing the stops in front of Kristiine Center is our top priority. The preliminary design we're commissioning now will cover a large area because the impact extends to the Paldiski maantee, Tulika and Sõle intersections. There's also the question of how to resolve the Koidu–Suur-Ameerika–Endla intersection," Tallinn Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus (SDE) told ERR.

Under the new plan, buses, trolleys and eventually trams would run down the center of the street rather than along the edges, where current public transport lanes are located. This would place stops for both directions in the middle of the road. The new configuration would include 2+2 lanes for public transport and another 2+2 for cars.

"Right now, the stops are located along the street edge in front of Kristiine Center. We're planning to move them to the center of the street, so people would cross either side via a pedestrian crosswalk to reach either Kristiine Center or Madara tänav," Lippus explained.

Simulations of the proposed traffic reorganization suggest that traffic flow would not worsen at either the front of the center or the intersection itself. Shifting buses to the center of the street is actually expected to reduce the current confusion and occasional chaos in the area.

There are no plans to build a full-fledged terminal at the new stop consolidation point — only shelters for waiting passengers are expected. The walking distance to the nearby train stop, currently aligned with Väike-Ameerika tänav, would also be shortened. However, the city cannot relocate the train stop on its own, as the rail line is owned by the state-owned company Estonian Railways (Eesti Raudtee).

"We'll need to coordinate with the state on that. My understanding is that they are initially open to moving the stop significantly closer to the center and intersection," Lippus said.

A central tram corridor is also being planned, though initially only in preparation for future development. The Liivalaia tramline, due to be completed in 2029, will initially end at Liivalaia tänav. In the future, it is expected to extend through Suur-Ameerika tänav to the Kristiine junction, where trams would be able to turn around at the roundabout.

Roundabout would improve traffic throughput

The Kristiine, or Taksopargi, intersection and its surrounding area are currently a major headache for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike — and it's no surprise that many traffic accidents occur there. "There are a lot of problem areas," said Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus.

"We're currently running modeling scenarios for the roundabout, and the key is that the redesign should improve throughput for all modes of transport — pedestrians, public transit and cars. In that context, a roundabout is simply the most optimal solution," she said.

"With this preliminary design, we're not looking at a decrease in capacity — it would actually improve. The roundabout is just the most effective way to solve the traffic challenges. Early modeling also shows that we'd be gaining space with this spatial solution," Lippus added.

By "gaining space," she means that areas currently left underused could be repurposed. For example, the city is in negotiations with Circle K, which owns a gas station at the corner of Tulika and Endla streets, to potentially allow buildings to be constructed there in the future. Plans also call for redeveloping the area between the end of Kotka-Tulika near the intersection and Sõpruse puiestee, which would expand as a result of the roundabout.

It's still not entirely clear whether and how public transport currently using Tulika tänav will be rerouted onto Madara tänav, as that also depends on the plans of property owners along the street. Still, Lippus said such a traffic arrangement would make sense if the stops are to be consolidated in front of Kristiine Center.

"Based on these considerations, Madara tänav seems to be the most logical alternative. There are likely to be major changes on that street in the near future — developments are on the horizon. Several zoning plans are already in progress, and we're in ongoing talks with property owners to find out what their plans are and how they envision developing those areas. Of course, we also need to consider how these changes would affect local residents and aim to keep disruptions to a minimum," Lippus said.

Construction to happen in stages

The current diagrams are still spatial concepts, and the preliminary design and technical planning phase will bring more concrete details.

"During the sketching process, we'll refine the spatial configurations, model the traffic in more detail and test the validity of these hypotheses at a more specific level. That's the point where we can start engaging the public — presenting a concrete plan and asking for feedback," said Deputy Mayor Lippus.

The timeline for construction will be determined during the design phase and the work will be carried out in stages. The stops in front of Kristiine Center are the most immediate priority.

"We want to move ahead as quickly as possible with consolidating the stops in front of Kristiine Center, as that's tied to the use of EU funding available through 2029," Lippus noted.

"The next steps involve negotiating with the state to bring the train stop closer to the center. After that, we need to determine the timeframe for extending the tramline from Liivalaia to Kristiine Center. My personal view and hope is that it happens as soon as possible," she added.

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