Improvements on various sections of the alternative route
“Roadworks will take place along the route for the rest of the autumn, until the beginning of snowfall. The improvements of the spare route will be completed in their entirety in spring 2025, after which the functionality of the detour will be tested with real traffic before the tunnel renovation begins,” says Head of Unit Jukka Värri from Fintraffic.
There are five construction sites on the alternative route in total, and work starts at all of them at the same time. The largest works are the construction of additional lanes at the Itäväylä and Kallvikintie junction and the Niinisaarentie and Kallvikintie roundabout. These lanes will improve the flow of traffic, as during the tunnel renovation, traffic volumes are expected to increase. In addition, the Niinisaarentie and Porslahdentie roundabouts as well as the Niinisaarentie and Satamakaari intersection will see improvements to better meet special transport requirements. Concurrently, traffic controls on the route will be clarified and its safety improved, for example, by installing attention posts at pedestrian crossings.
Most of the road and street work takes place outside traffic areas, but the works will cause some disruption to traffic. A new lane for pedestrians and cyclists will be built next to the current one at the Itäväylä junction – pedestrians and cyclists should note that the current pedestrian and cycling lane north of Itäväylä will be closed on both sides of the Kallvikintie junction over a distance of approximately 500 metres. The detour through Mellunmäentie and the pedestrian and cycling route that diverges from the road. The detour is approximately one kilometre and is expected to be in use until mid-November.
Improved alternative route serves as a detour during Vuosaari tunnel renovation
Before the Vuosaari road tunnel renovation in 2025–2026, improvement works will be carried out on the alternative route of the tunnel on the section Itäväylä–Kallvikintie–Niinisaarentie–Vuosaari Harbour. According to the plan, construction work in the tunnel will begin in spring/summer 2025, which will lead the tunnel to be closed for approximately one year. During this period, port and other traffic will primarily be directed to use the tunnel’s alternative route. Normally, the spare route is used during tunnel maintenance and it is also used by special transports.
In the Vuosaari tunnel renovation project, the technical systems of the tunnel leading to the Vuosaari Harbour in Helsinki, which have reached the end of their service life, will be overhauled. In addition, the tunnel structures will be repaired and the drainage and fire-extinguishing water systems under the tunnel will be replaced. The extensive demolition and construction work requires the closure of the tunnel, as strict safety regulations do not allow for traffic in the tunnel when safety systems are out of service.
Background information on the project
The Vuosaari road tunnel runs from the Ring Road III interchange on Itäväylä to Vuosaari harbour. The tunnel is about 1.5 kilometres long with two lanes in each direction. Vehicles travelling in different directions drive in their own tunnel tubes. On average, around 7,650 cars and 2,700 heavy goods vehicles pass through the tunnel every day. The tunnel opened in 2008 and more than half of its traffic is port traffic.
Fintraffic is responsible for the Vuosaari road tunnel's renovation project and for carrying out commissioning improvement work on the alternative route. The City of Helsinki and the Uusimaa ELY Centre will be responsible for planning improvements to the alternative route. The improvement of the alternative route will be implemented by Ylöjärven Kiviset Oy.
