The City of Tallinn has already imposed weight limits for vehicles traveling over the structures, while two other bridges in the capital with less serious issues have weight restrictions imposed as well.

The most severely impacted structures are the Vesse viaduct on Peterburi tee, a major east-west thoroughfare, and the Pirita River bridge, also east of the city center.

The City of Tallinn is trying to find solutions so that the weight restrictions do not hinder road hauliers and logistics firms, Toomas Haidak, head of development and planning services at Tallinn's environment and public utilities department, told ERR.

One such solution, Haidak said, would be an alternative route. In the case of the Vesse viaduct, heavy vehicles could be re-routed via Suur-Sõjamäe tee, to the south of Peterburi tee.

The Pirita River bridge is a bigger concern, he noted. While this can be avoided by driving via Narva mnt and Pärnamäe tee, these diversions would still cause issues of their own.

A full solution has not yet been found at this point, Haidak added, even as reconstruction work on the Pirita bridge starts next year.

At the end of 2024, the Tallinn environment and public utilities department commissioned an assessment of the technical condition of the Pirita River bridge and the Vesse viaduct, along with the Pallasti and Smuuli bridges in Lasnamäe, and the Pärnu mnt. viaduct, south of the city center.

The study, prepared by the TTK University of Applied Sciences, revealed that four structures need major renovation in the coming years.

The assessment found water and frost damage which has caused cracks and loose concrete pieces along the beams, affecting the main beams and so reducing their load-bearing capacity.

The Pärnu road viaduct over the railway is in the best condition and does not have any direct issues, the study found.

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