Brussels (ChatnewsTV) – The Central Baltic “Smart E67” project has been named a finalist in the prestigious RegioStars 2024 Awards, a recognition given to top EU-funded projects. Selected from 262 entries, Smart E67 is lauded for its efforts to improve transport efficiency and safety along the key E67 transport corridor in Estonia and Latvia through the use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the 2024 REGIOSTARS competition organizers, the Smart E67 project “highlights the importance of using advanced technology to enhance transport safety and environmental sustainability.”
The Smart E67 project was implemented from November 2015 to October 2019 under the Central Baltic Programme with a focus on Priority 3: Well-Connected Region. It aligned with the programme’s Specific Objective 3.1, which sought to improve the transport flow of people and goods.
With a total budget of €2.46 million, of which €2.09 million was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the project modernized road traffic systems across 202 km in Latvia and 192 km in Estonia on the E67 corridor. The E67 is one of the busiest transport routes in the region, recording the highest annual average daily traffic rates in both countries.
Working in collaboration with the Latvian State Roads and the Estonian Road Administration, Smart E67 introduced ITS elements such as adaptive traffic management systems, roadside variable message signs, modernized traffic lights, and road weather information systems. These enhancements provide real-time data on traffic conditions, road works, accidents, and weather to improve travel times and safety for both passengers and cargo.
“This project is crucial to ensuring that traffic flows smoothly, with fewer accidents and less CO2 emissions,” a spokesperson for Latvian State Roads said. “By integrating new technology, we’ve made the E67 corridor significantly safer and more efficient.”
The use of ITS has contributed to a reduction in travel times and improved the overall environmental footprint by lowering emissions along the corridor. The installation of roadside telematics and advanced traffic management tools has also led to fewer accidents, making the route not just faster, but safer.
The RegioStars competition, which allows public voting, opened on September 2. The finalists, including Smart E67, will present their projects to a jury during the European Week of Regions and Cities from October 7 to 10. The winners will be announced on October 9 at the awards ceremony.
Public support is encouraged, and voting can be done via the RegioStars website.
By Gabriel Ani
