Tallinn wants to reinvent itself—again 

Text Stewart Johnson

Legend has it that the Old Man of Lake Ülemiste (Ülemiste vanake), a mythical figure in local lore, will destroy Tallinn by flood if the city is ever “completed”. Tallinn’s city government apparently takes this threat very seriously. Despite the more than two years of extensive roadwork in the city that has only recently been more or less completed, plans are in the works to do it again.

The city is investing heavily in reducing car traffic, increasing accessibility for pedestrians and “light traffic” (bicycles and e-scooters), introducing more greenery, and adding new tram lines, the first of which is already operational. Residents and recent visitors can clearly remember how the entire downtown area was completely upended with seemingly endless roadwork. Most of the construction took place in the immediate vicinity of Viru keskus, Tallinn’s central shopping mall.

New plans however seek to rectify the design flaws in the previous construction work, some of which was even halted when shortcomings came to light. When planning anything that would involve public transport, buses are obviously a key factor to keep in mind. According to deputy Tallinn mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere, one major consideration is eliminating the entire underground bus terminal located under Viru keskus, in order to improve accessibility and speed.

Central artery of Tallinn traffic to be interrupted

While all these new plans are being considered, there has already been a plan to add a new tram line on Liivalaia tänav, one of Tallinn’s central arteries. This work is scheduled to begin in 2027 and last for at least two years.

Meanwhile, the Old Man of Lake Ülemiste is nowhere to be seen, fortunately.

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