The construction contract will enable the water supply of the future spa hotel, renew the underground infrastructure and improve the safety of pedestrian traffic in the Taivallahti area. By improving the pedestrian routes, the Taivallahti area will be incorporated more clearly into the Seurasaarenselkä seaside trail network. The changes will also improve the flow of vehicle traffic in the area.
The turnaround at the end of Hietaniemenkatu will be removed from use, and a new accessible sidewalk will be built for the entire length of Hiekkarannantie in accordance with the traffic plan to improve safety. Due to the construction of the sidewalk, the roadway will be partly extended to the park area of the old Russian cemetery. The turnaround removed from use will be landscaped to form a part of the park.
The flow of vehicle traffic will improve, as more space will be available when vehicles meet on the renewed street. Removing the turnaround from the junction area and turning it into a park improves the safety of pedestrian routes and brings that section into line with the detailed plan.
The construction will enable the development of the Taivallahti coastal area in accordance with the detailed plan. The contract is part of the wider development of Taivallahti. Water supply and other infrastructure work also enable the realisation of a spa hotel built as a private project in Taivalsaari.
In the upcoming years, a versatile and lush Sigurd Frosterus park complex will be built in stages in the area, circling along the shore of Taivalsaari towards Hietaranta beach. The park area is open to all and will be connected to the yard areas of the spa hotel.
Contaminated soil to be restored after previous use of the area
In the Hiekkarannantie contract area, contaminated soil resulting from the area’s previous use will also be restored. Asbestos has been detected in the construction waste in the soil of the area at two research points and must be removed from the area.
Asbestos removal will be carried out with special care inside a fenced construction site area. Workers will remove asbestos in overalls and respirators in the area where it has been detected. The work will pose no danger to passers-by. In addition to the Hiekkarannantie area, the restoration of contaminated soil will also be carried out in the park area to be built in Taivalsaari.
Tree stand to be preserved and renewed
Because of the street work, a few pines and other trees, such as goat willows, will be felled on the sides of the street. During the planning process, different options were examined in order to preserve as many of the area’s existing trees as possible on Hietaniemenkatu.
Special structures will be made for the preservation of trees growing near the side of the street. There is no need to dig in the root area of the pines. In the vicinity of the trees, the structural layers of the road are made slightly lighter and with caution to avoid damaging the trees. The turnaround at the end of Hietaniemenkatu will be removed, and bushes and trees will be planted in the area. In the contract area, a total of 17 new pines will be planted to ensure that the area’s tree stand will continue to be pine-dominated.
The street renovation aimed at improving pedestrian paths and routes on Hiekkarannantie will be completed in October 2023. The City of Helsinki construction services Stara serves as the main contractor. The work is based on the street plan approved by the Urban Environment Committee on 13 April 2021.
