Janar Taal Estonian Road Administration Regional Deputy Director of the Estonian Road Administration

1. Estonia-Latvia-Russia CBC Programme within ENPI 2007-2013Annual Conference and Contact Forum“Strategic cooperation - United by borders”St.Petersburg, Hotel Ambassador16 November, 2011 Improvement of traffic and border crossing possibilities in Värska-Pechory monastery road- SAFE ROAD Janar Taal Estonian Road Administration Regional Deputy Director of the Estonian Road Administration

2. How we came to the idea Local communities (Union of Setomaa Rural Municipalities and Administration of Pechory district) made a proposal for us do initiate a co-operation project for sustainable development of border regions through improvement of road infrastructure. Estonian Road Administration and Administration of Pechory district agreed to prepare a joint cross-border project, which includes improvement of infrastructure, exchange of know-how and experiences and creation of new cross-border networks in regional and local level.

3. Project Applicant - Estonian Road Administration • Project Partners: • Administration of Pechory district • Municipal Culture Institution “Pechory Culture Centre” • General partnership “Shans & Co” • Location of the Project: • South-East Estonia • Pskov region in Russia • Total Project budget - 5 775 420 EUR

4. Objectivies • The overall objective of the project is to increase the competitiveness of the cross-border region through development of traffic possibilities in Värska-Pechory monastery road, including border crossing in Koidula/Kunichina Gora frontier point.

5. Specific objectives: • Improvement of traffic safety in Värska-Pechory monastery road for trucks, cars, bicycles and foot passengers; • Improvement of border crossing possibilities for all these target groups, but especially for trucks which enables to foster exchange of trade between Russian Federation and European Union; • Creation of better and safer possibilities for tourists and local inhabitants for traffic from South-East Estonia to Pechory district (and to Pskov region) and vice versa, including for bicyclists and foot passengers; • Improvement of tourist information on Värska-Pechory monastery road;

6. Specific objectives: • Exchange of know-how and experiences in the fields of road safety, road maintenance and repair of main roads, basic and secondary roads and streets; • Creation of new cross-border networks between national, regional and local organizations for future co-operation in the fields of road safety, road maintenance and repair of roads.

7. Main problems: • Poor condition of infrastructure in South-East Estonia and Pskov oblast near Estonian-Russian border doesn’t enable to use full potential of both regions in exchange of trade, culture, tourism and co-operation between local communities. • The number of border crossings in Koidula-Kunichina Gora frontier point has increased significantly since 2004 and existing infrastructure doesn’t satisfy current needs of different target groups like logistic/transport companies, local inhabitants and tourists visiting both regions

8. Main problems: • The condition of road from Värska to Koidula frontier point (17 km) doesn’t satisfy the needs of increasing volume of goods haulage. The road is too narrow and there is a need for reconstruction of pavement. • The condition of 3,5 km long road from Kunichina Gora frontier point to Pechory monastery is in poor condition and needs extensive repairs. Now it’s very difficult to pass this part of the road even by car. • Traffic conditions for bicycles and foot passengers on the road are not safe because there are no safe cycle ways or footways in Koidula border area and also next to the Kunichina Gora-Pechory monastery road in city of Pechory and in Värska village;

9. Main problems: • There is no parking area for cars and trucks in Kunichina Gora frontier point. Cars and trucks are staying in waiting line along the road, which is a problem for traffic safety. When people want to walk across the border then there is no place to leave a car. There is no waiting area for trucks near of frontier point; • There is no appropriate parking area for tourist buses, which arrive at Pechory monastery and other tourism attractions (more than 120 000 visitors per year). Buses are staying at the side of the road, therefore the situation for tourists visiting the monastery is not safe; • The tourism information is not sufficient and it needs to be improved, especially near of Pechory monastery and Kunichina Gora-Koidula frontier point (on both side of the border);

10. Main problems - pictures

11. Main target groups: • Logistic/transport companies using the Värska-Pechory road for goods hauling. Current situation of the road doesn’t meet their requirements related to traffic safety and speed. According to the prognosis’s ca 120-150 trucks per day will cross the border starting 2012; • Logistic/transport companies who need modern parking area in Kunichina Gora frontier point while they’re waiting their line for border crossing (ca 80-100 trucks per day). • Local inhabitants of Pechory district (ca 22 700) using daily road from Kunichina Gora to Pechory monastery by car, bicycle or walking.

12. Main target groups: • Local inhabitants of Värska municipality (ca 1500) and Orava municipality (ca 800) using daily 17 km long stretch of road from Värska to Koidula by car, bicycle or walking. • Local inhabitants and tourists crossing the border by car (ca 300 cars per day). Improved road in both side of the border will create safer traffic and border crossing possibilities for them. • Local inhabitants and tourists crossing the border by bicycle or walking (ca 300-400 per day). Improved road in both side of the border will create safer traffic possibilities for them..

13. Main target groups: • Tourists/tourism companies visiting Pechory monastery by bus need safer possibilities for parking in city of Pechory near of monastery (ca 1000 tourism groups with ca 20 000 tourists per year). • Tourists visiting Värska village, incl. Seto national museum need safe foot/cycleway (ca 17 000 tourists per year). • Organizations dealing with road maintenance and reconstruction in both side of the border of project area, who need to make close co-operation and share know-how in order to achieve better results in their everyday work (ca 10-12 organizations)

14. Cross-border impact : • Using cross-border cooperation for project implementation is essential, because the main investment object- road- goes through the border between two countries. • Investments to road infrastructure only in one country won’t enable to use full potential of the region related to transport, logistics and tourism. • For development of business and living environment of border areas in both countries investments should be made in both side of the border.

15. Planned project activities Planned project duration is max 36 months. 1) Investments to road infrastructure in Estonia: - Reconstruction of 14,6 km long road section Reha-Koidula; - Reconstruction of 2,4 km long road section Värska-Reha; - Construction of 1,6 km long foot/cycle way in Värska village from Värska Center to Seto national museum; - Construction of ca 0,3 km long foot/cycleway in Koidula border area between border point and parking areas;

16. 2) Investments to road infrastructure in Russia: • - Drawing up technical documentation for reconstruction of the road from Kunichina Gora frontier point to Pechory monastery; • - Reconstruction and extensive repairs of road of 2,8 km from Kunichina Gora frontier point to Pechory monastery, including reconstruction of facilities under and next to the road and construction of ca 2,8 km cycle ways and ca 2,1 km footways; • The exact length of cycle ways and footways to be constructed will appear after technical documentation is completed.

17. 3) Investments to parking areas in Russia; • - Drawing up technical documentation for parking areas in Pskovskaja street in city of Pechory and near to Kunichina Gora frontier point. • - Construction of 0,72 ha parking area for tourist buses in Pskovskaja street in city of Pechory; • - Construction of 5 ha parking area for trucks and cars with all needed facilities (lightening and electricity systems, system of sewers, telephone and internet connection, toilets etc.) next to Kunichina Gora frontier point;

18. 4) Investments to tourism information system- installation of 4 tourism information banners (2 in Estonia, 2 in Russia). 5) Arrangement of joint seminars and trainings in the fields of traffic safety, road maintenance and construction, exchange of know-how and best practice- 2 1-day joint seminars/trainings in Estonia, 2 1-day joint seminars/trainings in Russia.

20. Thank you for your attention Janar.taal@mnt.ee