An Estonian ice road from Noarootsi to Haapsalu

Ice road between Haapsalu and Noarootsi, with a total length of 3.2km (1.98 miles) located in western Estonia.

The road, the shortest of the six national ice roads potentially opened each winter, cuts the travel time between the town of 10,000 and the small rural town of Pürksi. While by land, the distance between Haapsalu and Pürksi, the centre of the Noarootsi peninsula, takes around 40 minutes to cover, the ice road enables to cover the distance in 10 minutes. Haapsalu is a seaside resort town located on the west coast of Estonia. It's the administrative centre of Lääne County and Noarootsi Parish is a rural municipality in Lääne County, in the western part of the country.

The limitations for ice road traffic include:

-Weight limit depending on conditions, mostly 2 t (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons) to 2.5 t (2.5 long tons; 2.8 short tons)

-Vehicles travelling in the same direction must be at least 250 m (820 ft) apart.

-Recommended travelling speeds are under 25 km/h (16 mph) or between 40–70 km/h (25–43 mph). It is advised to avoid the range of 25 and 40 km/h (16 and 25 mph) due to danger of creating resonance in the ice layer (i.e. vehicle speed and water wave speed being the same or nearly, resulting in a large wave under the ice that breaks the ice).

-Seat belts must not be fastened due to danger of drowning if the ice breaks.

-The vehicle must not be stopped.

-Vehicles are allowed to enter the ice road in three minute intervals.

-Ice roads may only be used in daylight.

Pic: Vaclav Blazek