Via Baltica works close Tarva’s highway access

Construction of a four-lane section of the Via Baltica has closed the highway access in Tarva village, Pärnu County, forcing residents and businesses to use junctions several kilometres away and travel along narrow local roads, ERR reported.

Businesses say the loss of direct access is harming their operations, while heavy vehicles using village roads create safety concerns. Andres Ebrok, who runs Kõlli farm, said trucks and wide tractors now pass through the village, and visiting drivers may not realise where they are when following GPS directions.

Tootsi Turvas, which transports peat from the Elbu and Lavassaare bogs to Pärnu port, usually uses routes via Lavassaare and Audru. In wetter weather, heavy vehicles are restricted on those roads, and the company had used the route through Tarva. Regional manager Leo Raud said access to a large part of its peat production area would be limited if the local roads became too soft.

The Transport Administration initially planned collector roads on both sides of the highway. After discussions in Põhja-Pärnumaa municipality, officials agreed to improve the existing local road network instead. The administration plans to strengthen and surface the roads, with work due to begin next spring. A nine-kilometre stretch of the Audru-Lavassaare gravel road will also receive a dust-free, reinforced surface.

Construction has also made the walk to Kõlli bus stop dangerous, particularly in the dark, with pedestrians walking on mud or asphalt while cars pass close by. The Transport Administration said work to make the route safer had begun, and that the contractor had been instructed to address the situation immediately. The agency apologised to local residents.