Transport Administration: Saatse Boot bypass could be finished by next fall
Two bypass roads are planned for the Saatse Boot. Plans for the smaller of the two projects are ready and a tender will be announced at the end of November,
The timeline for completing the larger bypass road depends on the government, with the possibility of it being built be next fall under an accelerated procedure, or a year later.
At the beginning of this year, the Transport Administration began work on designing the Saatse bypass roads. A total of two bypasses will be built, the smaller of which will be 300-400 meters long.
"It is possible that we will be able to reach the tender at the end of November and we are announcing the call for that tender now. The process will take roughly two months, and after that we will see what the weather conditions are like," said Janar Taal, head of the Transport Administration's southern district.
The construction of the bypass is complicated by the terrain, with the Russian border post on one side and a steep valley edge on the other, at the bottom of which flows the Mustoja River. It will prove a challenge to fit the road into the available space.
"It has to go between the steep slope and the border area. The technical solution is already in place – securing the slopes and installing crash barriers to ensure safety, and so on," explained Taal.
The longer detour runs through the Mustoja bog, which is a Natura 2000 area (part of a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union – ed.)
"The law states very clearly that if construction is to take place in a Natura 2000 area and nature reserve, the builder must carry out an environmental impact assessment, unless the government decides that it is a matter of national defense," said Rainer Vakra, head of the Environmental Board.
The environmental impact assessment is currently underway. Protected species have been found in the area, and a decision in principle has already been made that they can be removed to another area. One of the aims of the environmental impact assessment was to provide an answer as to which route to choose for the bypass – either through the forest or across the bog. Based on the studies completed so far, it has been decided that the road will be built through the forest.
"Now, we want to announce the construction tender in February and then build in the spring, if we have managed to resolve these environmental issues by then. We will complete the road project regardless of environmental issues," said Taal.
According to usual planning procedures, the Saatse bypass would take two years to complete. However, according to Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200), Estonia cannot wait that long, and so he is bringing the issue to the government with a request to speed up the process.
"We see a serious security and safety risk here. We cannot take the usual approach in this situation, but have to resolve it more quickly. Figuratively speaking, I have said here that the steamroller needs to be put into motion as soon as possible, and I have also received feedback from my colleagues that the steamroller has been started up and the driver is already onboard it," said Taro.
"If we can complete the procurement in February, then the road will definitely be ready by fall," said Taal.
The government has already allocated €2.7 million for the construction of the Saatse bypass, which affects 15 private landowners.
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Editor: Johanna Alvin, Michael Cole
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
