The City of Tartu plans to lower the speed limit and add dedicated bike lanes to Turu tänav in a revamp of one of the city's main downtown arteries.  

Turu tänav is one of the city's busiest streets, and officials say lowering the speed limit will reduce noise and make biking safer.

"The main problem on Turu tänav is that cars drive too fast, generating noise in a densely populated area," said city architect Jiri Tintera. "The other big issue: it's also very difficult to bike there."

In recent years, Tartu has reduced speed limits on several downtown streets.

The city generally sets speed limits of 30 km/h for quiet neighborhood streets, 40 km/h on main downtown arteries and 50 km/h outside the center, Tintera noted.

Tartu's urban planning approach now favors dedicated bike lanes over mixed-traffic paths. Following the revamp, Turu tänav will feature a two-way bike lane on the Emajõgi River side of the street and a one-way lane on the Karlova side, separated on either side from both pedestrians and cars.

The new bike lanes will link the Sõpruse Bridge, now under major reconstruction, to the Riia-Turu intersection, scheduled for an overhaul in 2028–2029.

The project is estimated at €2.2 million, with roughly €1 million expected from outside funding, said Tartu Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm.

Construction on Turu tänav is slated to start next year.

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