Renovated main street of Haapsalu claimed its first victim

Haapsalu Posti street after repair. The gnarled lindens that provided shade until now are gone. Photo: Konstantin Sednev

Janika Allmets, a resident of Haapsalu fell so unfortunately on the rough and lumpy stone pavement of the renovated main street crosswalk that she broke her nose and knocked a chip off her tooth, the newspaper Lääne Elu reports.

She hopes that the Haapsalu city government will compensate her follow-up treatment because she has not recovered during the month spent on sick leave – her hearing has deteriorated and her nose has not grown back into the correct shape.

The crosswalks on the main street of Haapsalu do not meet the regulation issued by the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology in the summer of 2018, which stipulates requirements for buildings arising from the special needs of people with disabilities. According to the regulation, it is not allowed to use natural stones, cobblestones or other uneven stones with wide and deep joints on the crosswalks.

Innar Mäesalu, Deputy Mayor of Haapsalu, says that the purpose of the rough stones is to reduce the speed of the cyclists and to warn motor vehicle drivers that they are approaching the crossing area.

Jaak Pihlakas, head of the Chamber of Disabled People of Läänemaa, said that according to the pictures, the street is beautiful, but it seems that people in wheelchairs or with disabled feet might find it inconvenient to move on it.