National Road 8 (Estonia)

National Road 8
National Road 8
Põhimaantee 8 (Estonian)
Route information
Length	49 km (30 mi)
Major junctions
From	Tallinn
	Tallinn ; Keila; Keila; Niitvälja; Paldiski;
To	Paldiski
Location
Country	Estonia
Counties	Harju County
Highway system
	Transport in Estonia;

Tallinn-Paldiski maantee (Tallinn-Paldiski highway; alternatively Põhimaantee nr 8, unofficially abbreviated T8) is a 49.1-kilometre long national main road in Estonia. The road runs from the centre of Tallinn to Paldiski. The road partially follows the path of E265. The road forms an important commuter route, connecting Keila and suburban villages to western Tallinn. Past Keila the route serves truck traffic joining from the National Road 11 heading for the port of Paldiski, connecting to Kapellskär via ferry.

In 2021, the highest traffic volumes were recorded exiting Tallinn, with AADT measured at 15,000, with figures also high around Keila. One in nine vehicles entering Paldiski is heavy traffic, signifying the route's importance.^[1]

The port of Paldiski is used often for Allied military transportation and oversize cargo (such as wind turbines).^[2] Despite this, no plans exist to upgrade the highway, except for a future interchange exiting Tallinn and a potential bypass for Keila.^[3] Presently, the route is fully single carriageway.

Route description

The T8 connects the capital of the country, to the port town of Paldiski. The western part of the highway is part of E265, transferring from the National Road 11 bypassing Keila.

The route begins in Tallinn from Viru Square and runs through the city for 11 kilometres, following the city streets of Pärnu maantee, Kaarli puiestee, Toompuiestee, Tehnika and Paldiski maantee. Exiting the city it serves the borough of Harku and the villages Hüüru, Kiia, Tutermaa.

Reaching Keila the T8 intersects with the T11 at a roundabout and becomes part of E265. A total of five roundabouts are used to bypass Keila, with the road continuing in a westerly direction. The highway's follows its original, twisty, 19th century route until Kersalu, with the speed limit dropping to only 50km/h in Kloogaranna.

The highway meets the Baltic briefly, after which it turns away from the old route, redirected towards the ports of Paldiski. The E265 departs from the national route just before the town, heading for the South Harbour. Truck traffic headed for Kapellskär heads off on the intersection of Peetri, Lõuna and Rae streets, the T8 continuing on Rae. The highway terminates a kilometre later at the central square of Paldiski.

Road length of lane

11 km	36 km	2 km
Urban	1+1 road	Urban

Route table

The route is entirely in Harju County (Tallinn, Saue, Harku, Keila, Lääne-Harju).

Municipality	Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Tallinn	Viru väljak	0.0	0.0		Viru Square is the starting point for four highways - Tallinn-Narva, Tallinn-Tartu, Tallinn-Pärnu and Tallinn-Paldiski. Concurrency with T4.
	Vabaduse väljak				Urban intersection. End of concurrency with T4
	Haabersti			– Tabasalu; Mustamäe	Urban roundabout interchange, T8 crosses on flyover.
	Järvekalda				Urban intersection
Saue	Harku			– Laagri, Harku
	Harku			– Rannamõisa, Tabasalu
	Hüüru			– Alliku
	Püha			– Saue, Alliku
	Kiia			– Viti, Keila-Joa, Vääna
Harku	Tutermaa			– Vanamõisa
	Kumna			– Vääna, Humala
	Kumna			– Kumna centre
	–				Proposed northern bypass of Keila, onto which T8 would be redesignated.
	Ülejõe			– Maardu, Saue	Roundabout
Keila	Luha			– Haapsalu, Keila centre	Roundabout
Keila	Karjaküla			– Karjaküla; Keila centre	Roundabout
Lääne-Harju	Valkse			– Keila-Joa, Tõmmiku
	Niitvälja			– Haapsalu, Lehola, Niitvälja centre
	Tuulna			– Klooga
	Kloogaranna			– Tallinn, Laulasmaa
	Kloogaranna			– Ranna road
	Kloogaranna			–
	Kersalu			– Madise
	Paldiski			– Kapellskär, Padise, South Harbour
	Paldiski			–	Urban intersection
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Proposed