Rail Baltica delivery organization signed a contract for the construction of the tracks that will partially run through a trench up to 10 m below ground level situated between Soodevahe and Kangru in Rae Parish, in Estonia.
The construction of this 9.2 km stretch of the main line will cost EUR 70.8 million (US$ 79 million) and will be executed by OÜ Verston and OÜ Järelpinge Inseneribüroo, who won the tender with a joint bid. The goal is to finalize agreements and start construction on at least one-third of Estonia's 213 km Rail Baltica main line in 2024, covering around 70 km. So far, contracts have been signed and construction has commenced on 65 km of the main line in Estonia. This section is particularly unique, as it is the only part of the route where the train will travel through a trench for a total of 5 km. The trench, resembling the Lasnamäe canal, features natural limestone walls on both sides and ranges in width from 55 to 75 m, with the deepest point being 10 m from ground level to the tracks.
The Rail Baltica railway will pass under Põrguvälja Road, where Verston is already building technical systems and a viaduct, which will be completed in November 2024. Under the newly signed contract, an embankment for Soodevahe station will be constructed, along with a railway bridge over the Kurna stream, the Uuesalu viaduct, and the Rae wildlife overpass. On the Soodevahe-Kangru section of the main line, the Tallinn-Tartu Highway viaduct has already been completed. In November 2024, in addition to the Põrguvälja viaduct, a viaduct for technical networks located nearby will also be completed. By the end of the year 2024, the railway bridge over the Vaskjala-Ülemiste canal and the Rae highway viaduct will also be finished. This section includes the key Assaku stop in Rae parish, where a transport hub will be developed for trains and county buses. Platforms will be built in the trench with structural supports for crossings, while the rest of the station will be completed later under a separate contract. The 40-month construction contract requires the Soodevahe-Kangru section to be finished by January 2028.
