Estonian national road 4

Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla maantee (Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway, alternatively Põhimaantee nr 4, unofficially abbreviated T4) is a 192-kilometre-long north-south national main road in Estonia. The route follows the same path as European route E67, also known as Via Baltica. The road forms a majorly important north-south freight and travel corridor, connecting Estonia (and the rest of the Baltics) with the rest of Europe. Despite this, the only other major town serviced is Pärnu, though other main highways do branch off the T4. The highway ends on the border with Latvia in Ikla.

In 2021, the highest traffic volumes were exiting Tallinn, with AADT measured at 35,000, though this figure drops noticeably past Laagri. This is the highest recorded volume of traffic anywhere on the highway network. Being the only highway on the network that services over 1000 trucks across its entire length, congestion and dangers arising from frequent overtaking are a major issue.

The road is a dual carriageway for 13 kilometres exiting Tallinn. Isolated sections of 2+1 exist as well, however all future projects foresee a 2+2 cross-section.

History

The route Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla was part of the historical postal route between Tallinn and Riga, connecting the governatorial capitals of Estonia and Livonia. Post houses and inns were well established along the road already by the end of the 17th century. In 1800 a new route between Pärnu and Riga was established via Mõisaküla and Valmiera, replacing the previously used coastal route via Häädemeeste.

The end of the 1930s saw large-scale construction works planned on the route Laatre-Pärnu-Tallinn, to accommodate foreign visitors travelling by car to the 1940 Helsinki Olympics. The project, named "Olympic Way", foresaw the straightening of 55 kilometres of road sections and blacktop laid on 70 kilometres, replacing cobblestones. Construction began in 1939, but after the outbreak of war, materials were hard to come by and the Olympics eventually cancelled. This also cancelled the Olympic Way.

Under Soviet occupation, the highway was one of three considered to have All-Union importance (alongside Tallinn-Narva, Tallinn-Tartu). Large scale reconstruction was undertaken in 1961-1972 between Tallinn and Märjamaa. A bypass for Pärnu, including a bridge across the Pärnu river, were completed in 1970 and 1976 respectively. The first stretch of dual carriageway was opened by the 1980 Moscow Olympics, as the sailing event was held in Tallinn. A further stretch was opened during the 1980s.

The first international discussions around Via Baltica, a highway connecting Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas and Warsaw were held in 1988. Although progress has not been as successful as envisaged then, the tenets of these discussions are still held firm and eventual full development is at least ideally expected.

The first developments after re-independence saw the reconstruction and widening of Pärnu bypass in 2009-2012. In 2017 and 2020, 2+1 sections were constructed between Ääsmäe-Kohatu and bypassing Kernu.

Further dual carriageway sections are to be constructed in the 2020s between Libatse-Nurme, Pärnu-Uulu and Päädeva-Konuvere and a further bypass of Pärnu.

Route description

The T4 is a major north–south highway in Estonia connecting the capital of the country, Tallinn, to the fourth largest city in Estonia, Pärnu, and ultimately the Latvian border (where the Latvian A1 continues to Riga). The T4 is a part of European route E67, also known as the Via Baltica.

The route begins in Tallinn from Viru Square and runs through the city for 13 kilometres, following the city streets of Pärnu maantee and Vabaduse puiestee. Exiting the city it services the borough of Laagri. The T11 is met in Kanama at a cloverleaf interchange. Dual carriageway continues until Ääsmäe, with the outermost lane heading towards Haapsalu as the T9. A further 13 kilometres of 2+1 road follows, with a new route bypassing Kernu.

From here the route is generally straight, but does go through boroughs and villages, such as Märjamaa and Are. Another very short 2+1 sections precedes Sauga and Pärnu. The road turns left onto Pärnu bypass, which, while having 2+2 lanes, has at-grade intersections and traffic lights. The Pärnu river is crossed and the road turns left again at an intersection with Riia maantee.

The soon-to-be-finished Pärnu-Uulu 2+2 section begins here on a slightly straightened route as compared to before, culminating in a trumpet interchange with the T6 in Uulu. The highway continues along the coast, meeting only the boroughs of Võiste and Häädemeeste before culminating on the Latvian border in Ikla. The former border station serves as a rest stop. The road continues as the A1 in Latvia.

Road length of lane

Route table

The route passes through Harju County (Tallinn, Saue), Rapla County (Märjamaa), Pärnu County (Tori, Pärnu, Häädemeeste).

See also

• Transport in Estonia

References

External links

Media related to Estonian national road 4 at Wikimedia Commons

• Geographic data related to Estonian national road 4 at OpenStreetMap