Estonian Railways to reconstruct 54 km of railway on Tapa-Narva route

"The objective of the Tapa-Narva project is ensuring traffic safety and continuity on railway sections concerning the project, reducing the number of speed limits, increasing safety and creating preconditions for increasing the speeds of passenger trains to up to 135 kilometers per hour and cargo trains to up to 80 kilometers per hour," Monika Kaljusaar, the company's head of communications, told BNS.

"The project's works consist of the overhaul of tracks, increasing the safety equipment of vehicle and pedestrian crossings, adding additional security measures, for example fencing and barriers. The total cost of the work will be determined when confirming the results of the procurement, but the project will be partly, in the amount of 15.2 million euros, financed from the Cohesion Fund. The reconstruction will be carried out from 2018 to 2021," Kaljusaar said.

The government in February decided to direct 8.1 million euros from the 12.1 million euros left over from the Tallinn Airport tram line project to the reconstruction of the Tapa-Narva railway and 2.9 million euros for funding the transit road project passing through the city of Narva.

Estonian Railways announced the public tender for the reconstruction of Tapa-Narva and Tapa-Tartu railway lines on March 11 and is waiting for offers until April 26.

The net revenue of the bidder in the field of construction and repair of railway infrastructure during the last three financial years that will have concluded by the time of the start of the public tender must be at least 10 million euros.

On the Tapa-Tartu route, a continuation project financed from Estonian Railways' own resources involves the construction of a bridge across the Emajogi River on the section between Tabivere and Karkna, the overhaul of tracks, increase in the safety equipment of vehicles and pedestrian crossings and the establishment of additional safety measures. The reconstruction will be carried out along approximately 10 kilometers between 2018 and 2021.

The thorough overhaul of the Tapa-Tartu route, which lasted for three years, was completed last year. The total volume of it was 57 kilometers and total cost amounted to 25 million euros. The work was carried out by Leonhard Weiss RTE.

Estonian Railways is planning to invest altogether 33.5 million euros this year. In addition to the aforementioned projects, the preparations for the construction of the Riisipere-Turba railway will be continued, the overhaul of the Keila-Riisipere section will be continued and the modernization of the traffic management system.

(Source: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/good_for_business/?doc=138460)