The Junatie metro bridge and the Kulosaari street bridge in Helsinki need to be renewed. Based on reports from technical specialists at the City of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division and Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, it has now been decided to repair the Junatie metro bridge before the Kulosaarensilta bridge.
– We want to avoid any unexpected suspensions of metro operations, as interruptions of this kind would cause serious disruptions to Helsinki traffic. Now we can ensure that the metro services interruption will be implemented systematically. We are doing our best to reduce disruptions and limit the duration of the pause in service, said Executive Director of the City of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division Ville Lehmuskoski.
Temporary supports were built on the bridge in winter as a risk mitigation measure, which was intended to secure the continuation of metro services on the bridge for the time being. The bridge is safe for users.
Efforts to minimise disruptions caused by metro service interruptions
The renewal of the metro bridge and interruptions to the metro service will inevitably have major effects on people’s mobility in the city. The affected section is one of the key stretches of the metro network in terms of number of passengers. The city aims to do everything in its power to minimise the duration of service interruptions by, for example, finding alternative work methods and planning work phases to limit service disruptions. Unfortunately, interruptions to services cannot be completely avoided.
– The interruption of metro traffic will cause public transport users a great inconvenience, especially in East Helsinki. The city is resolutely trying to mitigate the disruptions and keep the interruptions as short as possible. We will also invest in the planning and implementation of alternative public transport routes and in adequate resident communication, Lehmuskoski said.
Procurement for new bridge builder to start
The process of starting the procurement procedure for rebuilding the bridge has begun, and the aim is to attach a partner for the project this year. This allows for utilising the builder’s expertise already in the planning phase, in particularly when considering the order in which the work is carried out and minimising any traffic disruptions.
The preparatory construction for the project is scheduled to start in spring 2026. The construction work that will have a considerable impact on metro services and the rebuilding of the bridge will take place in 2027, at which time there will be an extended interruption to metro services. The decision to renovate the bridge in 2027 is also supported by the fact that, according to current estimates, the tram services on the Crown Bridges will be running by then, supporting transport in the eastern direction.
The cost estimate for the bridge renewal, the estimate of the duration of the interruption and the exact length of the metro track affected by the interruption will be clarified as the planning progresses. During the service interruption, the metro will operate with reduced services in the east and west and bus transport will be used to make up for the pause in service.
Plenty of infrastructure in Helsinki in need of renovation
In many places, the City of Helsinki’s infrastructure, which includes streets and municipal engineering, has come to the end of its lifecycle. Such is the case with the decades-old metro bridges. The renovation work must be undertaken to ensure safety and the long-term functionality of urban transport. The City of Helsinki, Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd and Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) will provide more comprehensive information on upcoming infrastructure projects and their planning in spring 2025. The public will be notified of the progress of the infrastructure projects regularly.
The schedule for the Junatie bridge renewal and repair project is coordinated in cooperation by Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, the City of Helsinki and HSL. The project will be coordinated with other planned transport and repair projects in order not to multiply the effects of metro service interruptions on transport. The Kulosaari vehicle traffic bridge, for example, also needs to be renovated. The comprehensive repair and overhaul of the bridge cannot, however, be carried out at the same time with the Junatie metro bridge works.
At 482 metres, the Junatie metro bridge is the longest bridge in the metro network. It was built in 1972. A condition assessment for the bridge was concluded in spring 2024, and subsequent special investigations conducted in the autumn confirmed the scale of the damage. As a precautionary measure, Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd built temporary support structures for the bridge in the winter and continued regular monitoring of the bridge’s condition. The monitoring found that the damage to the bridge had increased over the winter. This is why the renovation of the bridge must be brought forward.
