The more than €2 million project will add two bus pullouts, a 20-space parking lot and two roundabouts on the Pärnu-Rakvere route. Construction is expected to finish in September.

When the new passenger terminal in Mäo first opened 15 years ago, it served around 3,000 riders a month. Today, that number has dropped roughly tenfold.

Transport Administration officials said the current layout made stopping difficult for long-distance buses on the route.

"There were no proper bus stops at this junction, and it was inconvenient for buses on the Tallinn-Tartu route to stop here," said Anti Palmi, head of the East Region Department of the agency's Road Management Division.

Palmi acknowledged that the interchange design contributed to the drop in buses stopping in Mäo after the bypass opened about 15 years ago.

At the time, he said, the project relied heavily on foreign consultants unfamiliar with local traffic habits and passenger expectations.

He knows, however, that "connections to Tallinn and Tartu are vital for Järva County residents."

Other changes may be ahead

Järva County Public Transport Center (JÜTK) hopes the new bus pullouts will encourage commercial carriers to return. Executive director Urmas Kupp said discussions with passenger bus operator Lux Express have been positive.

"They have said this solution works for them and the exits are not a problem," he said.

Kupp said local bus routes could also eventually stop at the new pullouts, and a smaller passenger terminal may be built there in the future. He added that a potential buyer for the old, municipally owned facility has already been identified.

During construction, traffic entering and leaving nearby Paide is being redirected through Mäo, adding up to five kilometers to some trips.

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