Road administration: Our roads Our people

MĂ„O CROSSING IN ESTONIA. PHOTO: ANDRUS KOPLISTE

The Road Administration: a century of experience The Road Administration, which organises traffic and transport in Estonia, will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary. The total number of employees is over 500, and regional offices are located in North, South, East and West Estonia.

Main tasks of the Road Administration: Organising road maintenance and creating the conditions for traffic safety on national roads.

Improving traffic safety and minimising the environmental impact of vehicles.

Organising road traffic and public transport.

Organising state supervision of the fulfilment of requirements proceeding from legal acts regulating the Administration’s area of activity and applying enforcement measures.

Maintenance of the national road register,

traffic register and public transport register, and of the static automatic speed measuring system.

Participating in the development of legal acts, proposing amendments to these legal acts, participating in the development of the relevant Estonian terminology.

Participating in the development of policies, strategies and development plans related to its area of activity, and preparing and implementing international projects.

Implementing national policy and development plans in its area of activity.

Our mission: The aim of the Road Administration is to design and deliver a safe, smooth, efficient traffic environment.

Our vision: to become a high-quality competency centre for road users and for our partners.

STRATEGY: The Road Administration leads the development of the Estonian road and traffic sector and brings together the parties dealing with research and development.

The main function of the Road Administration is to design a safe, optimal, sustainable traffic environment, ensuring to society the most efficient options for the transport of people and goods.

High-quality infrastructure and an efficient transport system are essential for everyday life.

A more efficient infrastructure saves time and money.

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Objectives of the Road Administration: Designing a safe and functional traffic environment

Inquiry: How to improve traffic safety. Kaupo Sirk, Tarmo MĂľttus and Meelis Telliskivi

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Chief specialist of the road development and investment department TĂľnis Tagger: Fast connection is important!

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Head of road the maintenance area of the western region Hannes Vaidla: The work of the maintenance team will never end

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Head of the traffic safety department Erik Ernits: Sad statistics will turn good!

Director General Priit Sauk: A time of hope and change

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Cooperation: Road Administration in European and global road and transport networks

Project manager of the road development and investment department Karli Kontson: When material becomes inspiration Head of the traffic management department Jaan Tarmak: Smooth traffic amid crossings and lines

Head of the legal department Kristo-Taavi Ruus: The best law is common sense

CONTENTS

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Customer service manager Tatjana Portnova: The development of e-solutions at the Road Administration Head of the public transport department Kirke Williamson: Changing times in public transport

Head of the examination department Tarmo Vanamõisa: It is hard to become a driver in 21 hours

History: Road construction machines through history and the birth of the first Estonian grader

OUR ROADS START WITH OUR PEOPLE Next year the Road Administration will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

100 years of road construction in Estonia, 100 years of experience, 100 years of people contributing to a safe traffic environment and developing Estonian roads.

Every completed road section and innovative solution is based on an idea, and ideas begin with people: therefore this publication introduces the people of the Road Administration.

They speak about their daily work, their achievements, and those areas in need of improvement. They reveal the solutions that should be reached in Estonia, and which countries can be taken as examples.

Our team includes many more whose stories are as yet unwritten; but first we want here to introduce the daily activities and future plans in the areas of road construction, road maintenance, traffic management, legal issues and e-solutions.

Thank you to the staff of the Road Administration!

PUBLISHING TEAM: Content: OÜ Meediapilt Editor: Liivi Tamm Stories: Heli Lehtsaar-Karma (pp 12 and 32), Elen Luht (pp 24 and 44), Kristina Traks (p 40), Urve Kask (p 20), Ulvi Põllu (p 11) Design and illustrations: Eve Rammo Portrait photos: Meeli Küttim (pp 6, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 36, 40) and Raul Mee (pp 28 and 44) Other photos: Andrus Kopliste, Scanpix Translator: Kalle Klein Proofreader: Richard Carr Print shop: Rebellis OÜ

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A time of hope and change Director General of the Road Administration Priit Sauk has bold hopes – of traffic without deaths, of finding solutions to difficult situations, and of future technology changing the principles of road construction.

Priit Sauk knows that the mission of designing a safe traffic environment is not easy. There are many factors, parties and unanswered questions. Indeed, the traffic of the future traffic might be based on quite different principles from those of today.

What will technology be like in 50 years? What kind of vehicles will there be and will their wheels even touch the ground? What kind of legal framework and software will be used in the world of self-driving cars?

“We must figure out what kind of infrastructure we need in the future and how self-driving cars and sustainable traffic will fit into the general picture,” says Sauk, who agrees that a journey should take a few minutes longer if it helps to save lives. ”The topic of self-driving cars will come very much into focus, as it is one aspect along the path towards zero vision.”

Safety first In terms of the path towards zero vision, a future without traffic deaths, Estonia is currently in the middle of the road in Europe. “We have done a good job, but still have a long way to go,” says Sauk. “We mustn’t feel too comfortable and lose the focus. We have much to learn from Swe-

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VISION

DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE ROAD ADMINISTRATION PRIIT SAUK

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den and Norway, where the number of traffic casualties is 20–25 per million. The European (and Estonian) average is 50.”

The Road Administration has concentrated its attention on the main roads that carry more than half of the total traffic load in Estonia. Currently that load is not too high, but the construction of roads with 2+2 or 2+1 separated lanes will significantly improve safety.

“This year we are installing a system of variable information signs on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road in cooperation with our Latvian colleagues. In the future, our traffic control centre will be able to change restrictions as required: in good weather, a sign may allow drivers to drive at 110 km/h even in winter, but maybe at only 70km/h in difficult conditions,” he says, introducing the forthcoming solution.

Essential public transport When moving towards a safer environment, the role of public transport cannot be underestimated: this year the Road Administration will also start organising public transport in Estonia’s counties.

“Transport must take people where they need to go. People do not move just inside one county; cooperation with neighbours is important,” says Sauk. “We need a longer-term plan to establish major connections and combine different types of transport.”

A nationwide ticket sale system is important, but we could move even further: why not to create a common ticket sale system with Helsinki, for example? “This could be a future challenge for the Administration: to develop a plan for reaching the port, purchasing a ferry ticket and travelling on to different destinations,” believes Priit Sauk.

Longer-term planning Longer-term planning is also needed for developing infrastructure. Estonia has adopted the Road Management Plan for 2014–2020, but social agreement is required with regard to the priorities for developing main roads.

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“When planning investments, we must spread the work over a 7–8 year time frame so as to provide investment certainty to companies,” he says.

Sauk has also thought of the effect of merging all the authorities dealing with infrastructure and traffic, as in Finland and Sweden. ”This would facilitate the cross-area planning and consideration of strategic investments. For example, whether it is more reasonable to purchase ferries, or to construct a bridge; whether to develop railway or road transport in a particular direction. Finland and Sweden have already embraced this search for cohesion, and now they are satisfied with the result,” he says.

Praise for Estonia’s e-state Estonia has been much admired for its successful implementation of the digital state. For local users it is already quite normal to get a new driving licence in a matter of minutes using e-channels – today in Estonia over 50% of the traffic register operations available in both e-channels and the Road Administration’s service offices are done online using our e-service. The application Tarktee.ee, which notifies users of road works, is also popular.

Such solutions have not come overnight, but have been achieved thanks to the efforts of the Road Administration’s employees. “I am glad that we are innovative. Innovations are created by our people, and our team makes me happy,” concludes Priit Sauk.

I am glad that we are innovative. Innovations are created by our people, and our team makes me happy.

REPORT

CASH BASED IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE BUDGET IN ROAD ADMINISTRATION Funding EUR thousand

2014* Actual

Employees: full-time equivalent Staff costs Administration costs (excl. road maintenance) Road maintenance Total expenses Other investments (state funding) Road investments (state funding) Road investments (foreign aid) Total investments Total investments and expenses

515 12 396 6 121 45 123 63 640 2 828 114 878 29 626 147 332 210 972

522 13 573 8 714 48 915 71 202 2 802 115 176 59 773 177 751 248 953

Investments to road EUR thousand

2014** Actual

2015** Actual

Constructions Reconstructions Dangerous locations in traffic Designing Gravel roads preservation Noise reduction Paved roads maintenance (surface dressing) Paved roads reconstructions Pavement constructions for gravel roads Purchase of land Reconstruction of bridges Est. projects to be postponed or cancelled Total investments

2015* Actual

2016* Actual 500 14 057 9 194 42 581 65 832 2 695 124 775 21 036 148 506 214 338 2016** Actual

32 192 38 775 6 611 2 181 7 134 99 19 872 24 108 5 954 1 652 7 769

33 068 55 479 6 461 2 432 9 033 623 17 259 28 792 6 515 1 603 6 176

21 700 41 942 10 350 3 466 9 660 926 15 600 23 230 10 882 1 254 8 226

146 347

167 441

147 236

2014 Actual 1398 225 229 102 143 2097 34 60

2015 Actual 1127 362 281 209 179 2158 43 85

2016 Actual 1078 379 177 123 203 1960 23 84

2017** Budget 500 14 411 10 764 46 082 71 257 3 005 135 345 51 490 189 840 261 097 2017** Budget 67 800 50 668 11 551 5 500 8 492 735 19 965 20 990 8 436 1 500 7 652 -14 000 189 289

* cash-based accounting, ** accrual accounting Volume of work km Paved roads maintenance (surface dressing) Gravel roads preservation Paved roads reconstructions Constructions and reconstructions Pavement constructions for gravel roads Total: Reconstruction of bridges Dangerous locations in traffic

FUNDING

2017 Estimated

1200 325 230 130 130 2015 29 80

300 000 250 000

Staff costs

200 000

Administration costs (excl. road maintenance) Road maintenance

150 000

Other investments (state funding)

100 000

Road investments (state funding)

50 000

Road investments (foreign aid)

2014

2015

2016

2017

0

budget

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QUESTION: What

do you focus on in your area in order to improve traffic safety?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AREA KAUPO SIRK:

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL IN THE ROAD MAINTENANCE AREA TARMO MĂ•TTUS:

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL IN THE AREA OF TRAFFIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT MEELIS TELLISKIVI:

Realising our zero vision in terms of road safety is the major long-term goal of the construction area of the Administration. The experiences of our Swedish and Norwegian colleagues demonstrate that no rapid changes have been achieved in attitudes, funding options or the behaviour of road users. The construction area must plan the road network on the basis of a longterm vision.

Based on our vision and on real financial possibilities, we submit proposals to the Road Management Plan for the preferred development of international main roads with the highest traffic load, mainly for roads with 2+1 lanes, a central barrier and partially grade-separated crossings.

Such developments make traffic smoother, safer and faster, while virtually ruling out the possibility of frontal impact.

On other national roads we improve the safety of sections that are determined through analysis.

The EU considers the improvement of road safety a major priority, and together we hope to make the Estonian road network safer.

The main activities of the maintenance area are the maintenance of roads in summer and winter, traffic management and supervision.

The common goal of these activities is to improve traffic safety. During major maintenance procurements in the period 2015–2017 the costs of road maintenance decreased as a result of tougher competition. This makes it possible to improve the level of road maintenance; in particular, raising the quality of winter maintenance has the greatest impact on safety.

The main challenge for road management is the development of a safe, logical traffic environment. In an ideal case, a driver should not need signs or knowledge the of law in order to choose the correct speed or distance, as the surrounding environment (road width, visibility, weather) should lead to the right choice.

However, such a result requires a great deal of time and extensive cooperation within the Administration as well as with road users.

As for road supervision, we dream of a time when all parties follow good practice.

The traffic area of the Road Administration coordinates the preparation and application of the traffic safety programme.

This ensures the implementation of all major activities on time and in a coordinated manner, independently of the administrative area of any ministry. We support road users with knowledge and advice, as well as providing tools in kindergartens and schools; we organise training to minimise risky behaviour among young people; our area of responsibility also covers the organisation of driving courses and tests.

We also inspect the technical condition of vehicles, carry out pre-registration checks and register vehicles. Together with our partners, we also conduct checks on roads. It is important to ensure the maximum level of safety of public transport.

We facilitate and encourage the use of public transport, because the lower the volume of cars on the roads, the easier it is to improve traffic safety.

As for roads, we support the construction and maintenance area with data and analysis in order to minimise the risk of accidents by means of construction.

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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Global cooperation The Road Administration has become an internationally recognised competency centre. Today, globalisation also affects road connections, networks and transport. In order to have a say in major issues, membership in European and global road and transport networks is essential.

Much work has been done in the Road Administration to become an international competency centre. International cooperation has taken place since the establishment of the Administration in 1918.

The first partners were the country’s immediate neighbours, but cooperation soon became global. One early partner was the Finnish Road Association, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Latvia, Lithuania and the other Nordic countries were soon added, as well as several countries from Europe and elsewhere.

After Estonia re-gained its independence in 1991, our first cooperation partners

were again the Finnish Transport Administration and the local road association, other Nordic countries, Latvia and Lithuania.

One of the first training sessions to be held abroad was organised by Finland in 1992.

Today, international cooperation in the Road Administration takes place at three levels: within the European Union; with international organisations; and through bilateral cooperation. Every year we host several delegations of road and traffic experts from Europe and elsewhere and organise meetings of international working groups in Estonia.

While we are often in a learning role, we also share our own professional experience through papers at international conferences, seminars and meetings. Specialists from the Road Administration visit other countries, and foreign colleagues from countries including the Nordic countries, Germany, Belorussia and Georgia have visited us to gain experience.

PARTICIPATION IN ORGANISATIONS We participate in the Technical Committee for Motor Vehicles of the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs of the European Commission.

We participate in the working group of the Community Database on Accidents on the Roads in Europe (CARE).

Our cooperation partners include the European Environment Agency.

We represent Estonia in the World Road Association (PIARC) and in the Association of European Vehicle and Driver Registration Authorities (Eregis).

We are represented in the following international organisations: the Conference of European Directors for Roads (CEDR), the European Car and Driving License Information System (EUCARIS), the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee (CITA), the Confederation of Or-

ganisations in Road Transport Enforcement (CORTE) and the International Commission for Driver Testing (CIECA). Cooperation is also conducted with the Standing International Road Weather Commission (SIRWEC).

Cooperation with the Baltic Road Association (BRA) is close; a non-profit association Balti Teedeliit was established in 2014 in order to develop this cooperation.

The Nordic Road Association (NVF) is a major partner.

Cross-border cooperation is conducted, for example, within the framework of the Est-La-Rus programme (Estonia-Latvia-Russia), which was financed by the EU from 2007 to 2015. In the second half of 2015 the first roundabout designed by Estonia was opened in Petseri. New Est-Rus and Est-Lat cross-border cooperation programmes (until 2020) are currently in their launch stage.

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CHIEF SPECIALIST OF THE ROAD DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT DEPARTMENT TÕNIS TAGGER

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PLANNING

Road planning faces new opportunities To paraphrase the wellknown phrase “All roads lead to Rome”, it can be said that in Estonia all roads start from the Road Administration, whether in the initiation of national road plans, the preparation of investments, or the planning and consultation processes of the road projects of local authorities.

Tõnis Tagger, who has worked in the Road Administration in the field of roads for ten years now, knows well the present and the past of Estonian roads. He feels anxious about the future of our road network, as investments are needed faster and sooner than is actually possible. “We are located on the periphery of Europe, but fast connections are important for companies and for the economy. The EU forecasts a 40% increase in the volume of heavy goods haulage in the Via Baltica transport corridor by 2030. A good road network is a matter of competitiveness for Estonia,” says the chief specialist of the road development and investment department Tõnis Tagger.

He explains that other European countries have invested a lot in their roads since the 1960s and 1970s, while Estonia made virtually no investment in roads during the late 1980s and early 1990s. “Our road repair shortfall is 830 million Euros. Roads are financed from the state budget as well as from EU resources. When planning state budget resources and setting priorities, it should be borne in mind that investments in roads will see a return in terms of improved traffic safety and saved time, as well as in terms of reduced air pollution,” says Tagger.

From idea to realisation takes decades The planning and completion of largescale road projects may take decades. A good example is the construction of the 40 km Kose-Mäo section on the Tartu Road, where it will take 25 years from the idea to its realisation. Tõnis Tagger recalls that the government adopted the decision to start the project in 1997; however, the environmental impact assessment statement was only completed in 2009 and the

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preliminary project in 2010. Today, we have reached the construction procurement of the first 12 km section, and the entire Kose-Mäo section with 2+2 lanes should be completed in 2022. However, faster construction (if more money were assigned to this project from the state budget) would be more economical. “The socio-economic benefit of this section is 10 million Euros per year, so if we could complete the fourlane Kose-Mäo section two years earlier, it would save us 20 million Euros,” explains Tõnis Tagger.

We need a long-term investment plan He points out that such economic benefits are only ensured upon full completion of the road: if any section remains unconstructed, the effect is lower.

Tagger says that we need an investment plan for at least fifteen years to ensure the effective completion of road reconstruction projects: “A four-year cycle is clearly insufficient, forcing to us to “cut up” projects and rush with preparations, thus creating risks for the investment quality of a longer section or transport connection. Moreover, the construction companies need longer-term plans for making their investment decisions and carrying out research.” Another major large-scale road construction project for Estonia is

ROAD DATA At the beginning of 2017 the total length of Estonian national roads was 16,594 km, plus up to 87.6 km of temporary ice roads depending on the weather.

the Via Baltica, a road which forms part of the Trans-European transport network.

Currently only 10% of it meets the main network road standards, while this figure should be 100% by 2030. This target exceeds the actual financial possibilities by two to three times.

Excellent cost-revenue ratio Road construction in Estonia does, however, include many positive elements.

Compared to other countries, we have achieved an excellent cost-revenue ratio in road reconstruction projects in the last ten years. “We have invested in the most important traffic nodes with a high traffic load, e.g. 10,000–20,000 vehicles per day,” says Tagger, pointing to the Tallinn roundabout and to the 7 km section of the Kukruse-Jõhvi Road as examples. “Since the completion of the road section, traffic safety has improved dramatically, enabling safe driving through heavy traffic, and traffic stress has also decreased, though opinions suggesting that the solution may even be too grand have appeared in the media.”

Tõnis Tagger says that the quality of the work of road constructors has improved in spite of tough competition. “Technological development has been fast, and companies have been able to maintain the pace,” says Tagger.

Private and forest roads 31.3 Footpaths and cycle tracks 0.9 Main roads (linking major cities) 2.7 Secondary roads (between smaller towns) 4.1

Local roads: 30.9

Streets 8.8

Minor roads 21.2

TOTAL: 58,897 KM

National roads 16,594 km Including main roads (linking major cities) 1609 km, secondary roads (between smaller towns) 2405 km, minor roads and other national roads 12,478 km, connecting roads 102 km

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Local roads 23,905 km including roads 18,227 km, streets 5171 km, footpaths and cycle tracks 507 km

Private and forest roads 18,398 km

PLANNING

The chance to have a say In the Road Administration, Tõnis Tagger likes the fact that he can have a say in planning the development of Estonian national roads, especially in a long-term perspective.

It is good to see when investment projects that were planned long ago start to reach completion and the result becomes visible. “I am satisfied with the latest major projects, such as the construction of the Aruvalla-Kose 2+2 lane road section, where 14 km of new road was completed in two years. The Kurna and Luige traffic nodes on the Tallinn roundabout were also constructed fast. People travelling to Kiili, Kohila and Rapla had to wait a long time before completion of these nodes, but now it’s history,“ says Tagger. His work also concerns environmental issues. The Road Administration contributes a great deal to the environment, and environmental measures account annually for up to 10% of total investments. “The greening of nodes and landscape design, noise barriers, fences, and ecoducts to help animals cross the road safely,” mentions Tagger, listing some of the environmental measures.

PAVEMENT TYPES ON NATIONAL ROADS in KM

Gravel and earth roads

4 876

Asphalt and cement concrete

4 687 3 610

Black pavement

2 465

Coated gravel 955

Ash concrete and stabilized pavement

Stone pavement Total:

1 16 594 km

STRATEGY We implement the Road Management Plan of national roads for 2014– 2020 and ensure the preservation of the existing national road network.

We maintain the condition of main roads and improve the condition and quality of secondary and minor roads using state budget resources based on best practice.

We aim, together with our partners, to create a system for determining the current and future mobility needs of people and goods and to create a suitable institutional structure. We design the traffic environment and service packages according to these requirements.

We ensure that traffic management is simple, compatible with the environment, minimises traffic stress and helps to avoid mistakes.

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per cent is the expected increase in the volume of heavy goods haulage on the Via Baltica by 2030.

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PROJECT MANAGER OF THE ROAD DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE ROAD ADMINISTRATION KARLI KONTSON

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ROAD CONSTRUCTION

When material becomes inspiration Project manager of the Road Development and Investment Department of the Road Administration Karli Kontson says that the overall quality of road construction in Estonia is good, companies use up-to-date equipment, and modern, high-tech asphalt plants are in place.

Karli Kontson, who for many years led bitumen research in the Administration, deals with everything relating to the properties and suitability of road materials in our climate, also checking the conformity of materials to the quality specifications agreed.

“We have made a major change – while formerly the constructor checked and submitted a report, now we take samples ourselves and also pay for the tests,” says Karli Kontson.

International cooperation In order to keep up to date with the latest information and have a say in decision-making, the Administration participates in the working groups of various international organisations, including PIARC, CEDR, BRA and CEN. “If we want our main options to be included in the European standards, participation in working groups is the only chance,” says Kontson. “The experiences of North America and Canada are also valuable, as climate-related problems are similar there.”

A good example of successful cooperation is the bitumen research carried out by the Road Administration, the Tallinn University of Applied Sciences and the Tallinn University of Technology. This was based on the concern of asphalt producers for the quality of the bitumen used – its properties were abnormal, and on some road sections cracks appeared in pavements after only a few years. “We contacted the experts in Canada and the USA – our partners were Simon Hesp from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada and Hussain Bahia and his colleagues from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. These two professors are among the very top in the world. Specialists from Estonian universities and the

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private sector were also involved (Andrus Aavik, Sven Sillamäe, Kristjan Lill, Marek Koit and Rein Freiberg),” says Kontson. The research showed significant differences in the bitumen made of different compounds and in different factories, and these affected their performance.

Kontson participates in the asphalt and bitumen working groups of the CEN to bring the knowledge gained from the research to Europe and change the properties we can request when it comes to setting standards.

An exciting region Estonia’s geographical location does not make the life of a constructor simple, as the range of temperatures affecting road surfaces is wide: up to +60°C in summer and as low as -30°C in winter. “The lowest temperature in history has been -43.5°C,” explains Kontson. “Certainly, such conditions put road surfaces under a lot of pressure.”

As water and ice are the main enemies of road users and constructors, there are severe weight restrictions in Estonia on some road sections, as well as high expectations with regard to the materials used. In spring, the essential load-bearing capacity of road structures decreases due to excessive moisture. Moreover, the roads are damaged by the studded tyres preferred by 70% of car drivers in winter – these tyres are the main cause of the longitudinal ruts in Estonia’s roads. As a rule of thumb, two-thirds of the groove depth in Estonian roads is usually caused by wear. The load on road pavements is also constantly in-

creasing. “The use of super single tires, the increase of axle loads. Increasing weight restrictions is inevitable, in order to ensure the competitiveness of our road haulage carriers. Technology develops, materials show better performance, and calculations become more precise, enabling the use of materials near the limits. But everything should be done step by step and through analysis, as budgets are limited – here as elsewhere,” says Kontson.

A new innovation of the Road Administration in terms of quality control is the implementation of continuous methods of quality assessment, involving the purchase of infra-red cameras, continuous monitoring of the porosity of the asphalt layers, wider use of non-destructive methods for measuring the thickness of the various layers of the road structures, ground radars etc. Load-bearing capacity is also measured on the roads: the FWD unit provides clues to the causes of any problems.

In the case of bitumens, European standards do not include parameters that enable their essential properties to be identified.

DEEP LONGITUDINAL RUTS IN THE ROAD SURFACE

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Major trends in road construction Decreasing environmental impact.

In Europe, Asia and America more efficient technological solutions are sought for manufacturing asphalt mixtures at low temperatures – the options tested have been bitumen foaming, the use of additives, the altering of mixing technology, and the use of bitumen emulsions instead of regular hot paving grade bitumen.

Recycling of materials (reuse of milled materials in asphalt mixtures, hot-in-place-recycling).

In current research, little attention has been paid to the negative impact of recycled materials on the performance of asphalt mixtures, such as the decrease in the self-healing properties of the mixes, and it is still not very clear if old bitumen can be mixed successfully with new. The focus is also on repeated hot recycling – how to perform mixing with new material and re-installation so that the material does not become too fragile due to heating, which shortens its life. This is important in Estonia, because aggregates with high wear resistance against studded tires are imported from Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Forecasting road life through testing of materials.

Today various models are being created which should enable us to examine and explain the behaviour of materials and to forecast road life. The most important studies make clear the point from which problems might be expected to occur.

Good examples are the bitumen research of Professor Simon Hesp in Ontario, and the research of Professor Terhi Pellinen into hot-in-place-recycling. These are generally case-study surveys. The Road Administration also studies the bound and unbound materials used in the base layers of road structures, namely asphalt, aggregates, and bitumen. At the same time equipment used in research is becoming more accurate (through the use of computer tomography), and new composite materials are being introduced. Further aspects of interest are self-healing and nanomaterials.

STRATEGY We use environmentally-friendly and durable materials in road construction.

We conduct coordinated research.

We cooperate with universities, laboratories and constructors in order to extend the requirements set for the life of asphalt concrete road pavements by 15% compared to 2015.

We continue to develop methodologies for traffic hazard sites and to utilise resources according to the established methods.

We contribute to improve traffic safety through the planning, construction, repair and maintenance of public roads.

We strengthen cooperation with our partners.

We adopt up-to-date professional standards as recommended by road engineers, establish standard requirements for representatives of the Road Administration’s clients, and create the necessary conditions to ensure that the knowledge and skills of the staff of the Administration conform to professional standards.

We cooperate with neighbouring countries in the development of new services that enable us to invest in additional equipment for road maintenance in order to offer high-quality solutions to society in the future.

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ROAD MAINTENANCE

Interesting work that never ends Drivers want to travel on roads in every season and every weather. The task of the staff of the road maintenance area of the Road Administration is to ensure safe traffic on national roads in all conditions.

“Smooth, safe traffic requires good cooperation with our road maintenance partners, the Rescue Board and the police,” says Hannes Vaidla, the Road Administration’s head of the road maintenance area for the western region. “Our work depends on IT systems that enable us to forecast weather conditions and on data from roadside weather stations that allows us to take preventative measures.“ The maintenance of Estonian national roads is organised by the Road Administration, using private companies to carry out the work. The entire maintenance of the national roads is based on the requirements in force at a given time. “We set the requirements for national roads in summer and winter, and the maintenance company has to ensure their compliance,” explains Vaidla.

Maintenance partners are found through public procurements. “We have 18 contracts, most of which are for 5 years.

These cover regular work in summer and winter,” explains Vaidla.

Summer maintenance includes regular periodic work such as spreading gravel on roads, installing traffic signs, marking road surfaces, and dust control. Occasional problems are also solved, such as the removal of fallen trees, the elimination of obstructions caused by accidents, or putting a detour in place around the site of an accident.

Precise requirements

HEAD OF THE ROAD MAINTENANCE AREA OF THE WESTERN REGION OF THE ROAD ADMINISTRATION HANNES VAIDLA

The requirements for road conditions are set for national roads and contracts are concluded with maintenance companies.

The Road Administration checks that these contracts are properly fulfilled. This task is carried out by supervision specialists in the

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counties, who conduct inspections and request additional minor works if necessary.

Although all the tasks completed are entered into a database, inspection does not take place only on computers. At least one third of the roads specified in a contract are visited each month with the contractor, and any shortcomings that are detected are repaired. “In the case of an accident, it is often claimed that the road conditions were poor – it was slippery, road signs were not visible, there were obstacles on the road, visibility was limited, and so on,” says Vaidla.” Therefore we must ensure accurate compliance of the road with the stipulated requirements.”

don’t need to feel ashamed. In line with the maintenance principles of all the Nordic countries (including Estonia), more resources are targeted to roads with a higher traffic load,” explains Vaidla.

The main complaints received by the Road Administration concern side roads with a low traffic load. “When snow falls, people want to get moving promptly.

However, this is not always possible – in the event of snow we start with roads with a higher traffic load, and finally reach the peripheral areas,” says Vaidla. “Road maintenance is ensured everywhere, but in smaller roads it may take longer.”

Another task of the Road Administration is the maintenance of roads or minor repairs, such as the repair of gravel roads and the repeated spraying of dust control products. Over 1000 km of gravel roads are sprayed and almost 400 km repaired annually.

In addition to national roads, the maintenance department also administers the construction and maintenance of ice roads.

In cold winters, the national road network may increase by over 70 km.

Experience of other countries The requirements stipulated for roads vary from country to country, according to the climate and to the economic capacity of the road administration concerned. Estonia’s requirements are quite similar to those of neighbouring countries.

“While the requirements are slightly more stringent in Finland and Sweden, we TotalHooldatav length of maintained riigiteede maht seisuga 31.12.2016 national roads as of 31.12.2016

Kehra

Nordecon AS Järva Teed AS 482km

Nordecon AS 473km

Leonhard Weiss Viater Ehitus AS 533km Warren Safety OÜ Leonhard Weiss Viater Ehitus AS 770km

AS Eesti Teed 1225km

Rapla

Warren Safety OÜ 481km

Järva Teed AS 931km

Jõgeva

TREV-2 Grupp AS 1122km AS Eesti Teed 1258km

AS Eesti Teed 1447km

Räp a

0 TREV-2 Grupp AS 1115km

Riigiteede hooldetööde teostaja ja hooldatavkilometraaz

22

TREV-2 Grupp AS 939km

TREV-2 Grupp AS 1165km

ROAD MAINTENANCE

Each year is different There should be four seasons in Estonia, but their disappearance causes problems. “I would be very happy if four seasons actually always existed,” says Hannes Vaidla.

Last year demonstrated that warm winters with little snow and some rain cause trouble for companies. “Foresters plan cutting work for winter, but without freezing conditions smaller roads lose their load-bearing capacity and logs cannot be transported,” he says. “We have to limit the loads of moving vehicles to preserve the roads, while preventing the total stall of economic activity – milk must still be delivered from the milking sheds, fuel taken to production facilities, and so on.” Temperatures around zero are the most complicated for maintenance – freezing, melting, rainfall and so on cause black ice and other hazards. “This is dangerous and also damages roads. More salt is used, which in turn brings greater damage to road surfaces.

In stable cold we remove the snow, and if the cold continues we are able to use only small amounts of chlorides: roads are frozen, logs get out of the forest, everybody is happy and smiling,” Vaidla concludes.

THE SMART SOLUTION - TARKTEE The Road Administration has created a single application for the administration of traffic restrictions covering the whole of Estonia. Local governments, the State Forest Management Centre and road construction companies can set traffic restrictions on all public roads in the national register of roads.

This convenient e-service is useful for all road users: a single traffic information portal provides logistical information covering the whole of Estonia.

STRATEGY We raise the quality of road maintenance, implementing technological solutions and creating incentives to provide a better service for companies.

We involve internal groups and interested external parties right from the initial phase of any process of change to ensure a final result that satisfies all parties to as great an extent possible.

We develop and implement modules of the Road Lifecycle Information System (TEIS).

We focus on achieving the optimum organisation of the processes of state and administrative supervision, and on setting and implementing performance indicators.

We strengthen contractual supervision in all areas.

32

million Euros was spent on maintenance contracts last year: 17.5 in the winter and 14.5 in the summer.

Read more: tarktee.mnt.ee

23

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

HEAD OF THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT JAAN TARMAK

24

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Smooth traffic amid crossings and lines When Jaan Tarmak was a boy, his favourite book was a traffic textbook.

“I’m very interested in how to convey information to people with various signs and lines, so that they can also understand and use it,” he says. Today, with his department, Tarmak aims to create nationwide principles for the use of signage.

The broad goal of the Traffic Management Department is to create a safe, simple traffic environment.

“It is quite common in our work that people write to tell us about a problem at some junction. Our employee is sent to monitor the traffic and generate ideas.

If necessary, this may involve reconstruction,” says Tarmak, describing their regular work. “One option is to replace traffic signs or refresh road markings. Construction takes more time. In the case of more complex solutions, several years may be spent on procurements, contracts, supply and construction processes.”

Innovative means of traffic management Tarmak says that a well-planned road will keep traffic running smoothly. “When a road is good and junctions well designed, other things can be added as well. If the basic elements are lacking, additional elements are no use,“ explains Tarmak.

Today we have reached the phase of testing new products, such as rubber posts or fences to separate traffic lanes, speed limit signs with texts, more clearly visible road markings, and so on. At first sight it may seem difficult to distinguish between 10 and 15 cm wide road markings, but the latter are more visible to the human eye. In addition to line width, we are studying the visibility of road markings in dark and wet conditions. Dotted and jagged lines have been tested. Jagged lines have the advantage that a snow plough does not tear the mark as easily as separate dots. The only problem is the noise caused by jagged lines. On one hand, it fosters traffic safety by warning the driver to remain in lane. On the other hand, this solution is not suita-

25

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

ble in the immediate vicinity of residential buildings.

One outstanding solution based on contemporary technology is the use of LED lamps installed in the middle of a road and supplied by solar panels; the final conclusion about the suitability of their use in Estonia, however, is still pending.

“Last year we also developed new temporary traffic management solutions for national roads. The situation is improving constantly. This year, a lot of work is being carried out using vehicles with a large arrow of yellow lights on the back to indicate road works. This is very visible, and road workers no longer need to install various road signs,” says Tarmak.

Rules will change for vehicles weighing over 3.5 tons, which will have to pay a toll fee for driving on Estonian roads in the future. “Only in Finland has such a fee has not yet been introduced,” says Tarmak, and explains that first of all a simple ticket system will be applied. Later GPS systems will probably be used, as in Europe, in order to set different prices for different times and roads.

“This is necessary for adjusting the traffic flow on roads during peak hours,” he explains. Another option being considered is for speed cameras to measure a vehicle’s average speed over a certain section of road. This solution would require a suitable recording system to protect personal data, and legislation would also need to be

Annual average traffic volume vehicles per day

26

amended. “Such a system is more complex, but makes traffic smoother, eliminating unnecessary acceleration or deceleration in certain places,” he says.

Variable message signs Estonia has set the goal of using more variable message signs offering changing information. “These are quite common in other countries, but the Estonian traffic load is low,“ says Tarmak. “Variable message signs are expensive and improve traffic, but lower traffic volumes also mean less benefit. As the technology develops they are becoming cheaper, and we are now able to test them.”

A major cooperation project with Latvia is in its development stage, providing variable message signs on the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla-Riga Road as far as the border with Lithuania.

We have reached the phase of testing new products, such as rubber posts or speed limit signs with texts.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Inspiration for the future arises from cooperation Finding information about the most suitable solutions for Estonia requires a lot of time and energy. Usually ideas are found through direct contacts and communication with neighbours.

“The easiest way to keep pace with the latest news is to visit conferences and trade fairs and to meet the manufacturers who bring real exhibits to the fairs. This enables us to touch things, and to meet specialists who know the technical details,” says Jaan Tarmak. The Road Administration also participates in international working groups on more specific topics, at European level as well as with the country’s neighbours. “Self-driving vehicles is an area where we are trying to catch up with Europe. It will be a real challenge to figure out which operations can then be eliminated. Currently, traffic information is intended for the people who watch and process it. A vehicle moving on the road does not need a visual picture, but a command in a database. We are still trying to understand our real technological level and the requirements set by the cars. In reality, we want to reach self-driving cars as soon as possible, because they are safer,” explains Tarmak.

He adds that many explanations are needed on a daily basis for traffic control devices and safety restrictions: “Our goal is not unreasonably slow driving. We want safe speeds in risk zones. Signs usually have a low impact. We often try to solve problems with signs, as this is a cheap method, but their effect is limited, and in some cases non-existent. The main factors are road construction and the traffic environment. This enables us to provide better information to people about what speed should be chosen, and no sign would then be necessary.”

STRATEGY We provide public services enabling road users to use the traffic environment safely and efficiently, while at the same time ensuring its preservation and operation.

We collect and distribute comprehensible, relevant information.

We determine the effect of the increased use of mutually communicating and self-driving vehicles, and the requirements of these in terms of infrastructure and of the services offered by the Road Administration and the broader traffic environment, and we start to implement preparatory measures for the smooth management of the necessary changes.

We prioritise the safe shortening of distances on TEN-T roads.

Aiming to meet the needs of road users, we apply the best practices used worldwide in our services and create innovative solutions.

110

km/h: speed limit in winter in good conditions, permitted by a variable message sign.

27

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

HEAD OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF THE ROAD ADMINISTRATION ERIK ERNITS

28

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Sad statistics will turn good On the basis of statistical analysis, Erik Ernits drafts proposals which help to move towards the dream of victimless traffic. “I like to have a job which I consider necessary – to have a goal and the opportunity to control its achievement,” says Ernits, who ha-s been working in the traffic safety area for sixteen years.

Erik Ernits believes in the goal of eliminating traffic deaths. “If we don’t reach it in 5 years, we can dream about it in a 25-year perspective, and in 35 years the dream may become true,” he says. “People make mistakes, but the main question is what the consequences are and how much we can minimise the chances of error. If all speed limits are based on safety and followed by everyone, collisions may still occur, but will not cause serious injuries or death. Maybe in 35 years we’ll have self-driving vehicles, and human error will have no impact on the possibility of traffic accidents any more.”

A good analysis model In traffic, risk is largely distributed between three factors - the driver, the vehicle and the road, i.e. the contemporary traffic environment. Sometimes their mutual communication is considered to be a fourth factor. “Our job is to influence these components – for example by assessing the safety of the infrastructure we try to find the points where accidents converge,” says Ernits. In fact, there is virtually nowhere in Estonia today where more than three serious accidents occur in a period of 3–5 years. If they still do, this is often the result of chance rather than of systemic high risk, and it is not possible to assess the infrastructure risk using simple analytical means. “We have developed an analytical model that matches the best practice in Europe. When we compared our results with the result provided by Finnish analytical software, the overlap was 80%,” says Ernits.

Looking at Estonian traffic culture over the last 20 years, the success is palpable: while 20 years ago the annual number of traffic deaths was almost 500, now it

29

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

is around 80, and in 2015 and 2016 even fewer (67 and 71 respectively).

“While 15 years ago drunk driving was avoided primarily because of the risk of being caught by the police, today people understand the essential argument. The situation has also improved in the field of the use of safety equipment,” he says. “Positive change has been achieved mainly thanks to information and prevention, as well as to traffic supervision.”

Clear success Speaking about the numbers, Erik Ernits points out that ten years ago only 65% of drivers fastened their safety belt, while now the figure is 97%, and 80% of people fasten their safety belt on the back seat.

However, there are still many road users among the casualties of traffic accidents who have not used safety equipment. This clearly indicates that safety equipment saves lives. “Another factor is speed – unfortunately, drivers do not understand the risk caused by increased speed. Accidents don’t happen every time we drive too fast.

If repeated behaviour has no consequences, it causes the misconception that faster driving is also safe, while actually it depends on the number of “attempts” and on whether there are any other circumstances making an accident likely. It is much easier to feel the benefit from faster arrival. We need efforts to change this attitude,” he says. In the last five years the number of traffic deaths has decreased in Estonia (71

last year as compared to 87 in 2012). However, account should be taken of the fact that in Estonia each death is equal to over 1% of the total number, and occasional factors must also be taken into account in the case of traffic accidents. Therefore other data should also be considered, such as the total number of accidents and injuries.

With regard to the latter, no decrease has been recorded in recent years. “No clearly positive changes have taken place in traffic safety in the last five years; the situation is stable. However, since 2010 the average mileage has increased by 5%, reaching 10.4 billion car kilometres. When vehicles drive more, the risk of accident is higher, and the mere increase in terms of total mileage may increase the number of accidents and injuries as well,” says Ernits. “It is hard to balance such an increase in the traffic load with our accident prevention activities.”

The goal of the new traffic safety programme is to save at least 254 lives and decrease the number of serious injuries by 950 in 2016–2025.

ACCIDENTS. INJURIES. DEATHS 3 500

traffic accidents

196

injured

deceased

200

3 000 150

2 500

132

2 000

100

1 500

101 79

87

100 81

78

1 000

67

50

500 0

30

71

23 2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016 2017 I semester

0

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Safety and teamwork The development of the traffic safety strategy is based on a zero vision, where nobody should die or suffer serious injury in traffic. To achieve this goal, cooperation is undertaken with neighbouring countries.

Cooperation in the field of traffic safety is most frequent with the road administrations of Latvia and Lithuania. However, if some of the best experts are available in countries such as Norway or the Netherlands, we also contact them.

The development of new standards is often based on the corresponding Finnish model – historically we have based these on Finnish legal practice.

For zero vision we have consulted with the Swedes, who have gone furthest with the development and implementation of the concept.

The methodology for determining the points of traffic risk is based on the research and guidelines of Norway and the EU. To check our activities, we have asked the Finns to compare our calculation model with theirs. In a Baltic Road Association working group, in cooperation with the road administrations of Latvia and Lithuania we have also compared the calculation logic used to find risk points in our different countries in order to identify our relevant strengths and weaknesses.

We participate in the traffic safety initiatives of the PIARC (World Road Association) and the ETSC (European Traffic Safety Council), as well as in the CARE working group, which organises the collection of traffic accident data at EU level. We also use the CEDR network; in investigating serious accidents we have cooperated with VALT, the Finnish organisation that focuses on the investigation of serious traffic accidents.

Other contacts and one-off activities are also used, from EuroNCAP to the European Road Safety Charter, an EU initiative.

STRATEGY The Road Administration highlights traffic safety in all areas of activity – we develop attitudes and behaviour that take into account the safety of all road users, thus achieving the maximum safety of all parties.

We manage the implementation of the Traffic Safety Programme 2016– 2025 to minimise the number of deaths and serious injuries in traffic accidents, involving all public authorities and private companies in the programme. In these activities we proceed from a zero vision.

We continue to develop methodology for high-risk points and use resources according to the methodology created.

All areas of activity work in cooperation in order to improve traffic safety through the planning, construction, repair and maintenance of national roads.

We ensure that traffic management is easy to understand, environmentally-friendly, minimises traffic stress and prevents errors.

Ethics – human life and health are the most important aspects. These are more important than mobility and the other operational goals of the road traffic system.

Safety philosophy – people make mistakes. The transport system must minimise potential mistakes and consequent damage to as great an extent as possible.

31

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

HEAD OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT KRISTO-TAAVI RUUS

32

PUBLIC PROCUREMENTS

The best law is common sense Every lawyer has probably heard the complaint: why are laws so complex that people cannot understand them? The Head of the Legal Department Kristo-Taavi Ruus agrees with this. “Over-regulation and complex wording make things complicated. But the best laws are good practice and common sense,” says Roos, who has worked in the Road Administration since 2001.

“Without us, the Administration would not be able to purchase anything or construct roads,” smiles Ruus, referring to the high responsibility of his team of 11. Most of the employees in the department work in the Public Procurement Unit, while there are only two lawyers in the team, plus Ruus himself. “Looking at the number of employees in the Administration, almost 520 people, and the number of lawyers, our percentage of lawyers is among the lowest in the public authorities, while the size of our budget is high,“ says Ruus, referring to the constant workload of the lawyers.” Our lawyers don’t work here because they have to, but because they want to.”

Simplicity brings success Court disputes account for a major part of the work of Ruus, who has been the head of the legal department for eight years. Another major field of operation is public procurements. We asked this official, with his long experience in the preparation of public procurements, about the key to successful procurement. “Simplicity!” The answer is quick and clear. “Conditions for qualifying should not be complicated. Requirements should not be invented, but based on analysis as to where we are going and how we are going to get there.”

In the procurements of the Road Administration, simplicity has been one reason for the increasing number of procurements. While 415 procurements were arranged in 2016 (80 more than in the previous year), 40 procurements more than last year have already been arranged in the first 6 months of 2017. Key factors are also the excellent skills the employees and cooperation with other departments.

“Our main client and cooperation partner is

33

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

the construction department,” says Ruus.

The Road Administration has few contested procurements: only four procurements were contested last year, and decisions were made in favour of the Administration. However, mistakes can happen, and Ruus knows situations where subsequent analysis reveals better options. “This may occur with unusual procurements, such as IT procurements. We put too much stress on the requirements, and this came with a cost: the workload involved was high, disputes arose, and we only reached a contract after one and a half years,” says Ruus.

The entity of the Administration’s procurements is high: there are some 150 procurements exceeding 1 million Euros annually. Currently, the largest procurement concerns the construction of the Kose-Võõbu road section, the biggest procurement ever for the Administration (45 million Euros). An even larger construction procurement for the 15 km Võõbu-Mäo section is under preparation, the price of which will reach 50 million Euros.

Price is the most objective criterion Kristo-Taavi Ruus finds that the public sector and the Administration should lay more stress on innovative procurements: “When designing procurement conditions we should be smart, to enable tenderers to offer innovative solutions. Through us, companies could then offer something new, and the solutions could later be sold abroad as well.” In public procurements, companies have often complained that the main assessment criterion is price, claiming that more account should be taken of other criteria such as the experience of

the tenderer, references, and so on. “I believe in price, as this is the most objective criterion for costs, as well as for the work,” says Kristo-Taavi Ruus. Another option for assessing the tenderers is value. “In such a case we should assess the promises of the contractor for the future. But how?” asks Ruus. Further discussion takes us back to the start: for each procurement we should consider the end goal, and, if the choice is not to be based only on price, also the possibility of adding criteria that make objective assessment possible.

“We should opt to choose services and products based on the price or on former experience with the tenderer, from whom we may previously have received excellent, high-quality services or products. Estonian legislators should ask how we might give preference to previous contract partners in public procurements, in the case of good cooperation. Yes, this may bring a risk of corruption, but this can be avoided by setting various criteria – for example, the price offered by a former contract partner may not be more than 10% higher than the tenderer offering the next highest price,” explains Ruus.

When designing procurement conditions, we should enable tenderers to offer innovative solutions.

THE 45 MILLION EURO PROCUREMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KOSE-VÕÕBU ROAD SECTION IS CURRENTLY THE ADMINISTRATION’S LARGEST.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENTS

Three questions to Kristo-Taavi Ruus How would you describe the Road Administration as an employer?

They have a good attitude to people, paying attention to health and the working environment, and enabling flexible working time – just use this reasonably. Humanity is a keyword in the Administration, and this is the reason why I work here: it is also a key value for me. It is very important that the values of the employees and the employer match. We have many employees, over 500, but I like to think that we all share the same values.

Four basic values for our behaviour have been agreed in the Road Administration: reliability, openness, professionalism, and orientation to results. Managers should impart these values to their staff.

What makes you happy in your work?

Several things. First, when my staff are happy and I see that my team consists of the right employees who are satisfied and do a good job. Second, positive court decisions bring satisfaction. Third, I am happy when my ideas reach management members and are appreciated and accepted by them.

What makes you unhappy in your work?

Hypocritical people who use highsounding words that are not backed by action. When agreements are violated and no respect is shown to others. Our company is large and we should consider our own people and other government authorities as well – we must target our thinking to the state. Although officials are sometimes criticised, in my opinion the thinking in our government authorities is targeted to the state – in the case of most officials, the compass shows the right direction.

STRATEGY We contribute to legislation in order to provide the best services to road users.

We contribute as a centre of competence to road management related consultation on the part of local government.

Our objective is the better involvement of local government associations in the planning of infrastructure investments.

We offer safe, optimal traffic solutions to road users.

We increase the efficiency of the internal financial planning system and develop the methodology for calculating the profitability of the Road Management Plan; we carry out profitability calculations for all major investments in order to ensure efficient use of resources.

We ensure that the preparation and implementation of the financial plan of the 2014-2020 Road Management Plan is correctly monitored.

150 the average annual number of procurements exceeding one million Euros.

35

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER TATJANA PORTNOVA

36

E-SERVICE

E-solutions: working on details The e-solutions of the Road Administration provide an example for other countries – the possibility of renewing a driving licence or changing the owner of a vehicle in 3 minutes via e-channels is already a reality in Estonia today. While four years ago, when the e-service was launched, the focus was on the major services, the emphasis has now shifted to the details.

When Tatjana Portnova started work as customer service manager at the Administration in 2013, many things had yet to be invented in terms of e-service: solutions were required for the content, and there were questions of the technical aspects and design. Today, the Road Administration e-service provides an example for other Estonian public bodies: the service offers a swift, customer-friendly environment; solutions are found through cooperation between departments; e-service working groups meet every week; and the management group helps to set the priorities for the development of new services.

“When I’m in a bad mood for any reason, I read the comments of people in the feedback section of our e-service and I feel good again,” smiles Portnova.

When the e-service was launched, the focus was on major services. “Four years ago our IT project manager helped to develop technical solutions; we consulted with our customers as to which services would be necessary for vehicles and driving licences; for the design we involved partners as well as our own developers,” she recalls, and goes on to describe how ideas were gathered during the period prior to the launch. “We studied the structure of the e-services in banking, the traffic register solutions of other countries such as Sweden, and even how the public’s queries concerning vehicles were handled in Moldova.”

Spreading the workload On 21 January 2014, the first two services were launched – temporary deletion of a vehicle from the vehicle register and change of owner – and in the second half of the year the option for the renewal

37

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

of driving licences followed. “We were expecting a major wave of licence renewals due to their expiry, and the workload of the service offices had to be spread,” recalls Portnova. “We did not want to face a situation of queues lasting many hours at our offices, and something had to be done.”

Supporting law Fortunately, the general development of e-services is supported in Estonia at national level. “If people did not have a personal identification code enabling them to identify themselves in electronic channels, everything would be very difficult,” says Tatjana Portnova.

Decisions as to the visual side of the e-service did not take place overnight, not least because the Administration has to deal with everything from excavators to frogs! “We designed all the elements, tested traffic signs with a new style. We chose the colours of traffic lights: red meant “no”, green – “OK, go”. Yellow had to be replaced, as this shade was not legible due to its low contrast.” A lot of work had to be done to adapt the texts, as the official language needed to be changed into a simpler, more easily readable form. “We even

combed car sale portals looking for more suitable terms,” recalls Portnova. Today, the Administration’s e-service communicates with 20 different databases: this is a strength of the system, but in certain situations it may also prove a weakness.

“A customer can take their photo from the database of the Police and Border Guard Board, pay the fee through a bank link, and the data of their health certificate and vehicle insurance is received automatically from different information systems.

We have data about insurance cases, car accidents, inspections and so on; all this information is consolidated, and it is convenient and easy to view data and perform transactions in our e-service,” says Portnova. “But a problem in the system of any cooperation partner, be it a government authority or postal company, can cause problems in our work.”

Working on details The major work has been completed.

In the future, e-service visuals will become more convenient for smartphone users once a suitable technical platform has been developed and the texts and style books revised.

THE USE OF E-SERVICES INCREASES YEAR BY YEAR FIGURES IN PERCENTAGES (2017: FORECAST)

Operation

2015

2016

2017

Temporary deletion

82

88

92

Application for provisional driving licence

37

52

57

Replacing provisional licence with full driving licence

54

67

79

Instructor certificates

56

71

79

Replacing driving licence

55

63

65

Changing users

28

37

26

Submitting documents before registration

90

93

93

Requesting duplicate registration plates

36

54

52

Registration for practical driving test

31

40

47

Registration for theory test

24

37

45

39

49

23

29

20

25

Tachograph Register changes of owner Certificate of skipper for recreational craft Transport permits

38

15

50

E-SERVICE

A popular, cheaper service The Road Administration’s e-environment also provides economic benefits: transactions performed via our e-service are cheaper for customers.

“Efforts had to be made to reduce state e-service fees by 20%, and now this is a major factor for our customers,” says Portnova. “Customer satisfaction with our e-environment is currently running at 90%, because the service is fast and you can carry out your transactions and receive your documents at home.”

In the development phase, attention was paid to the interest of the public, the number of users and profitability. Where necessary, special products are created to attract specific customers such as leasing companies with large vehicle fleets. “A good e-service does not require any intervention from our employees; only particular aspects of a few services need to be inspected. Of course, a computer cannot decide if a request for special registration plates conforms to good morals,” smiles Portnova. “However, development is continuous. Using the e-service should be easier than operations at our public offices.“ DEVELOPMENT OF E-SERVICES Legal framework. Specifies which data may be used based on which contract or law. Important aspect is the legal option to sign documents digitally, and another is to send a document to a customer as a letter so as to have confirmation of delivery.

Cooperation with other partners.

Agreement for issuing digital health certificates, agreement with the Police and the Border Guard Board for receiving a user’s photo and signature.

Readiness of the public. Supporting activities (e.g. computers for customers’ use in our public offices), information system.

Technical solutions. IT readiness, finding development partners.

STRATEGY Objective: We simplify the availability of public services to customers and partners, ensuring the clarity and comprehensibility of relevant information.

We proceed from customer-centered thinking and implement the customer service strategy of the Road Administration.

We monitor technological development trends in the field, implement new technological solutions and expand the portfolio of e-services offered to customers, minimising the need to visit our offices.

We prefer the use of proactive, integrated and automatic e-services.

We develop and implement the system of advance notifications in order to inform customers of forthcoming transactions in advance; we notify customer groups of the relevant field of the Road Administration’s e-services, plan their marketing and encourage customers to use them.

We measure and monitor customer satisfaction with our services and with the main information channels, and raise the quality of passive channels (web pages) in order to minimise the load on active channels (hotline, e-mail).

39

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

HEAD OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT KIRKE WILLIAMSON

40

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Changing times in public transport Estonia’s public transport system will soon be facing exciting changes, observes the head of the public transport department of the Road Administration Kirke Williamson, who has planned regular services in this field for almost 20 years.

To ensure convenient public transport, we must learn to use data more smartly and offer flexible solutions.

Not very long ago the oldest buses used on county lines in Estonia sometimes just stalled in the middle of the trip. Today, fortunately, such things should be a thing of the past.

“We have specified in our public procurements that newer buses ensure higher points. As a result, their age has decreased considerably, and new buses are driving in several counties,” explains Williamson.

The level of quality has also seen a significant improvement on commercial lines, where comfortable coaches and friendly drivers have become standard. It even seems strange now that only a few years ago things were so different.

Williamson praises the Estonian ticket sale system: “Generally you can buy a ticket from the point of departure. Our system enables passengers to buy a ticket in advance from any intermediate stop,” she says. However, there is no advance sale on county lines, owing to the low rate of use.

The only exceptions are the lines of Harju and Ida-Viru counties with many passengers, some of which even manage to balance their costs with ticket revenues.

In recent years, in addition to the technical condition of buses, the level of supervision has also improved. Constant monitoring ensures that bus drivers follow the requirements of the Working and Rest Time Act: a sleepy driver breaking the law is rare today.

Stops on demand The rate of use is a delicate topic for most county lines in Estonia: “We would like to have at least 50% of seats filled, but if there are almost always only 4 passengers, we must seek cheaper alternatives – using a smaller bus or basing the journey

41

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

on demand.” In a demand-based system, passengers call the service provider and say which stop they want to get on at. This solution is also used in other countries.

“It’s a question of filling a vehicle and also of planning passengers’ travel. The situation where a bus was always available near home no longer exists. Think that one kilometre of a bus route costs one Euro.

A 200-kilometre circle makes 200 Euros, and if there are 2 people in the bus, each paying 2 Euros, it is very expensive for taxpayers.”

One county in Estonia already has an example of a demand-based solution that works well. Passengers get on the bus at the railway station and tell the driver where they want to go. The driver designs a logistics plan and takes passengers to their homes. “This is a tailor-made solution and the future of rural public transport. The question is whether such transport is provided by community vehicles, bus lines, or as a shared service,” explains Williamson.

Precision planning Where and how do people move?

These are the key questions for public transport. The fact that people move across counties is also important. When this information is ignored a situation will arise where an empty bus is driving on

the scheduled line, but people have to use cars for their journeys. “Today the public transport structure helps people to get to work and school in the morning and back in the evening, but fails to consider their transport needs in between those times.

Daytime services should be run on a demand-based approach. We must be more flexible and test new ideas,“ she explains.

Integrated transport network Another weak point is the integration of bus and railway traffic – it is often impossible to continue a train journey by bus or vice-versa. Williamson says that the public transport network should be viewed as a whole: “At the moment, every county organises its own transport, while the actual demand is for regional public transport.

We also need a network of cross-county lines, as people work outside their county as well.”

E-solutions are at the development stage: “We know where people live and work. We also know who has cars. We have real-time data about the movement of people. However, we do not use this data in planning public transport,” says Williamson, adding that the creation of a suitable solution to the problem has already been initiated at the level of ideas. Smarter use of data provides the option to organise more convenient public transport.

2016: Total mileage of county lines in Estonia was 36.5 million line kilometres.

83 domestic line permits were granted for commercial long-distance bus lines.

The popular e-environment peatus.ee was visited 4.8 million times; the number of individual users was 930,000.

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

A flexible solution is worth trying A new type of organisation for public transport is inevitable in the future: solutions will be tested as pilot projects, ensuring convenience for users.

The Road Administration is developing an innovative travel planner for using public transport as an e-solution. “I want to complete it as soon as possible to enable passengers to plan their travel quickly on a smartphone. The aim is to ensure that a current user of public transport aged 7–30 will continue to use public transport in the future rather than thinking of purchasing a car,” says Kirke Williamson. She gives Helsinki as an example: the standard of local public transport is so high that the number of people attending driving schools has decreased dramatically – they simply do not need driving skills or a car.

Williamson also thinks that a more flexible approach to the whole system of public transport system could provide much help. New solutions should also be tested, either project-based or as pilot projects.

“Bus routes must be tested, because it takes about a year before people get used to them. Passengers must feel sure that the bus will come at the same time tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, in a month. Then they start to take public transport into account when planning their life, and become regular passengers,” she explains. “Courage is also needed for testing new things, as well as an awareness that a new system of public transport is inevitable in the future. Never again will we see large buses full of people driving on county lines.”

The Road Administration also plans to focus more on the reputation of public transport. This is important for passengers, but also for recruiting bus drivers: while some boys may dream of becoming a professional driver, in Estonia you cannot get a licence to drive a bus until 24 years of age, by which time the dream has usually been replaced by some other work. An additional problem is that many more active drivers often leave to work abroad.

STRATEGY We develop environmentally aware and sustainable behaviour among road users and contribute to the economic mobility of people through the public transport system.

In the development and provision of services we promote more sustainable travel through the creation of a single national public transport network, the improvement of services, the provision of infrastructure, and the creation and development of electronic environments.

We develop an image promoting the use of public transport as having a major role in improving people’s travel options and in minimising the environmental impact of transport. We take account of people with mobility disabilities.

We provide public services that foster the safe, efficient use of the traffic environment while ensuring at the same time its preservation and operation.

53

the number of Road Administration line contracts for county transport.

43

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

44

PRACTICAL DRIVING TESTS

It is hard to become a driver in 21 hours The Head of the Examination Department Tarmo Vanamõisa is sure that good solutions start from dialogue. “Discuss everything!” he says, describing his challenges at work. The establishment of a separate examination centre at the department means that a large amount of time is spent travelling around Estonia and talking, talking, talking.

The Examination Department of the Road Administration is changing. “We are redesigning the entire system of examinations, driving tests and driving school teachers,” says Tarmo Vanamõisa, explaining the work ahead.

Examples are taken mainly from the practice of the Nordic countries, including Norway, as well as Ireland and the UK, all of which have made many efforts in the field and show good results. “So their system is working,” says Vanamõisa. “Until now it was thought that the driving test was just a question of the examiner and the Administration. No! People are driving, they must think for themselves and work hard to gain the right to drive. We must reach the people.”

The current minimum programme in Estonia allows applicants the right to drive with only 21 hours of lessons. However, only the most talented actually achieve this result, while the others must make more effort and take more lessons.

In some countries, applicants must drive continuously for three months before their test in order to get a licence, as only practice turns a learner into a driver: “I make the comparison that when students prepare to graduate from high school, they do not just sit and wait for the examination for a whole month, but they study. Study, practise, drive a lot – a simple recommendation for all learners.”

Not everybody needs a licence

HEAD OF THE EXAMINAT ION DEPARTMENT TARMO VANAMÕISA

Tarmo Vanamõisa highlights another problem that will need addressing in the coming years: “Is it sensible to attend driving school only because others have a licence? In fact, not everybody needs to drive. If you live in a city, use public trans-

45

ROAD ADMINISTRATION

port. Buses are faster than cars in traffic jams. And you don’t have to pay for parking!” This may cause another “problem”: “My Finnish colleagues complain that due to their good public transport, there are no more people in driving schools,” he smiles, admitting that not everybody actually has the need to drive.

Concentration on examination As a result of the new driving test centre, examiners deal only with driving tests.

Formerly they had other jobs as well: they stood behind the counter, inspected and registered vehicles, issued licences. “This is a system that works elsewhere in the world – people deal with their main job without other distractions, as they cannot excel in three areas. You can only excel in one area and be quite good in other areas.”

Next, the principles of teaching need changing. “Currently, assessment and teaching is mistake-based. If we want to change that attitude, we must teach examiners and instructors to assess whether a person is a safe driver in traffic. Both parties need to change their behaviour and attitude. An examiner should be able to understand whether the behaviour of a learner in a traffic situation was a one-off mistake or due to consistent over-assessment of him- or herself,” states Vanamõisa, highlighting another place for dialogue.

Learners should start to assess themselves before the test. Afterwards they can review their mistakes and why they made them

with the examiner. “This is the reason why examination protocols have been made public.” Looking into the future, Vanamõisa believes that the legal framework of the driving test should be changed from public to private in approximately five years. “In some European countries this is already the case. The State merely supervises these matters, but does not deal with the test itself.”

Searching for solutions Changes always take time, and instant results are not possible. In some areas, however, the waiting period seems too long. For example, amending existing legislation may take a year or even longer. “We have to find possibilities that enable us to operate within the framework of the legislation currently in force. This requires constant brainwork, which sometimes makes you impatient. Still, we cannot complain of boredom,” says Vanamõisa.

An examiner should be able to understand whether the behaviour of a learner was a one-off mistake.

STATISTIC 2015 Attended

Passed

2016 % of passed

Attended

Passed

2017 (I half) % of passed

Attended

Passed

% of passed

Category A

2707

2099

77

2811

2201

78

965

772

80

Category B

27517

14038

51

29259

13330

46

13148

5300

40

Category C

4736

344872

72

4525

3073

68

2286

1496

65

Category D

593

446

75

564

352

62

387

225

58

Category T

762

637

83

610

519

85

308

259

84

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PRACTICAL DRIVING TESTS

Drivers breaking the rules The Traffic Safety Department of the Road Administration has conducted surveys concerning the attitudes and behaviour of road users. Major violations are: Ignoring red traffic lights In Estonian traffic, ignoring red traffic lights remains a problem. Drivers having to choose whether to pass though a crossing with a red light or to stop ignore the light in 34% of cases. Drivers having to choose whether to pass through a crossing with a yellow light or to stop ignore the light in 74% of cases.

Distracting activities when driving 71% of drivers use a phone when driving, while 29% said they do not do so. Approximately one third of drivers admitted that using a phone has led to dangerous situations while driving.

Exceeding the maximum speed limit 24% of the drivers who participated in the survey exceed the speed limits on main roads, and 39% exceed the limits on minor roads. The main reason for exceeding the speed limit is overtaking (85% of drivers).

Use of safety equipment Based on the survey conducted in 2016, 98% of drivers use a safety belt.

97% of adult passengers use a safety belt on the front seat of a passenger car and 67% on the back seat, while 97% of children are fitted with safety equipment.

Drunk driving According to the survey conducted last year, 7% of drivers had driven a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol during the year; approximately one third of these (2.5% of the total) had done so several times.

STRATEGY We set the objective not to allow into the traffic any vehicle whose technical condition may cause injury or death to any person. To this end we are introducing more stringent controls to ensure that technical and safety requirements are met.

We set the objective not to allow into the traffic any driver whose insufficient driving ability may cause injury or death to any person.

To this end we are introducing stricter preparation of drivers to ensure traffic safety.

The staff planning, implementing and administrating the transport system must create the preconditions for the safety of all road users.

All parties participating in traffic must be ready to create the conditions for achieving road safety and for any necessary changes required.

The staff planning, implementing and administrating the road traffic system are responsible for its safety.

Road users are responsible for following traffic rules.

52% of applicants passed the practical driving test last year.

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ROAD ADMINISTRATION

ROLLER GRADER ILMARINE 1931 –1934

BITVARGEN BEFORE 1930

100 years of graders

CATERPILLAR AUTO PATROL NO 11. (1936–1940)

In the 18th century, horsedrawn equipment, the predecessors of graders, were used in Estonia.

In the 19th century, the steam engine and internal combustion engine were invented and used with tractors or traction engines.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first motorised machines were used in Estonian road construction and maintenance.

48

The first was the steam roller; this was followed by the motor roller, the road plough , the stone crusher, the traction engine and/or (steam) tractor, and the truck.

The first self-propelling grader, a Swedish Bitvargen, reached Estonia in 1926.

The grader was powered by a 20 hp petrol engine from a Fordson tractor. Based on calculations, road maintenance became 5-10 times cheaper

TESTING GRADER V-1, CA 1948

and faster than with manual work.

In 1927, 10 more graders were purchased from Sweden.

These (and also the machines that followed) were manufactured at the Ilmarine factory in Tallinn. By 1932, 119 graders were already in use on Estonian roads.

In the period between the two world wars, a legendary grader was the “Auto-Patrol” designed at the American

HISTORY

CATERPILLAR AUTO PATROL NO 11 GRADER. (1936–1940)

CATERPILLAR ROAD PATROL NO 10, CA 1935

Chief Treasurer at the Estonian Road Museum Rain Rikas introduces some of the road maintenance machines used in Estonia: compared to horse-powered tools, the advent of “self-propelled” graders in the 1930s marked a major step forward.

GRADER V-10 IN FACTORY YARD 1956–1960

Caterpillar tractor factory. Test results of the grader brought from America in 1935 inspired the Road Ministry to equip each county with at least one contemporary grader. In winter, a plough was also installed on graders, and regular maintenance of roads started from December 1937. Immediately after WWII, Caterpillar graders were the only graders operating on Estonian roads. In 1948 the first Soviet self-propelled

GRADER V-10, AFTER 1956

grader, the V-1, was constructed at a factory in Paide by Arnold Volberg.

After the V-1 Volberg went on to construct new models of grader, and the V-3, V-4, V-5, V-6 and V-8 followed one another in quick succession.

In 1955 Volberg constructed a test model of his most successful grader, the V-10. While other Soviet graders had mechanical lifting equipment, the V-10 used a hydraulic

solution, and the blade had a 360-degree turning radius. In total, 2040 V-10 graders were manufactured at the Paide factory.

Production of graders in Paide ended in 1966. Later machines were mainly imported from the USSR, but the reliability of these was poor.

After re-gaining independence in 1991, the first Western machines reached Estonia in the form of humanitarian aid.

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ROAD ADMINISTRATION

V-1: A BENCHMARK IN ESTONIAN ROAD CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

GRADER V-1, MANUFACTURED IN PAIDE IN 1948. IN THE YARD OF CENTRAL WORKSHOP, ARNOLD VOLBERG AT THE LEFT

THE NEW GENERATION OF GRADERS WAS BASED ON THE IDEA OF ARNOLD VOLBERG Arnold Volberg (1900-1967) was an outstanding Estonian mechanical engineer who constructed the first Soviet self-propelled grader, the V-1, in 1947.

Volberg was interested in machinery from his childhood, and during his studies at the Tallinn Higher Technical School he also found time to undertake professional work and to write articles on agricultural equipment.

Such work, however, had an impact on his studies, and he graduated from the school only in 1933.

In 1940, Volberg, who had worked in the Road Ministry and at the Tallinn Excavator Factory, constructed an innovative small vehicle scales in addition to other inventions. Owing to the war this was not patented, in spite of much interest in Estonia, Finland and Sweden.

Volberg’s most important inventions date from the Soviet period: during his work at the Road Ministry he designed new solutions and started to construct a grader in 1946; as early as 1948 he presented the V-1 grader, thus laying the foundations for the Estonian grader industry.

50

ARNOLD VOLBERG

The V-1 marks a major stage in the history of mechanical engineering and road construction in Estonia. This was the first self-propelled grader designed and constructed in Estonia and, indeed, in the whole of the Soviet Union: in fact, it was mainly trailer graders that were manufactured in the USSR. Preparations for the construction of the V-1 were complex. First, a wooden body representing the grader frame had to be constructed to get the initial approximate dimensions for designing other assemblies.

The power source of the grader was a GAZ AA engine, and assemblies of the same vehicle were used as front and rear axles. The grader therefore had rather small dimensions (5.8 x 2.4 x 2.5 m), and the power of the 50 hp petrol engine was quite low for more demanding tasks. Other assemblies and hydraulic equipment were made from locally available materials.

The grader was constructed at the Paide Mechanical Central Repair Workshop, later the Paide Road Machinery Factory, in 1948.

On 18th of July 1948, the V-1’s constructor was granted a Soviet Estonia Award.

Based on available data, 122 V-1 graders were built, and August Volberg subsequently went on to develop an entire generation of new graders, the best-known of which was the V-10 model.

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