Mannerheimintie renovation project to begin – changing traffic arrangements

The renovation project will begin with preparatory work, such as the removal of the overhead contact lines of tramways and the construction of temporary traffic arrangements. Trams will be diverted to Runeberginkatu on Monday, 6 March.
Mannerheimintie Oopperan risteyksessä helmikuussa 2023. Kadulla hieman lunta ja autoja. Puissa lunta, taivas harmaa.
Photo: Teina Ryynänen / Helsingin kaupunki

The renovation will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will begin with work on the section between Postitalo and the Opera House.

Preparatory work will be carried out before the actual construction work begins. During the week beginning on 6 March, the city will provide more detailed information about what kinds of changes there will be in traffic and when the construction site will take over driving lanes and other areas.

In the next few years, the street renovation project will affect traffic in the area in many ways, so it is a good idea to allow more time for your journeys and favour public transport whenever possible. The passage of motor vehicles will be possible throughout the project, using one lane in each direction. 

Buildings can still be accessed

During the street renovation project, every building can be accessed, but the usual routes may change and journeys may take longer than usual. Detours will be signposted on the street. The location of the driving lanes in use and the traffic arrangements will change as the work progresses.

Changes to bus and tram routes from 6 March

Trams 4 and 10 and buses 63, 212, 213 and 400 will shift their route from Mannerheimintie to Runeberginkatu on 6 March. Other bus routes will continue to run along Mannerheimintie.

HSL will provide more details about the changes in public transport on its website hsl.fi(Link leads to external service) and through other channels.

Information available through several different channels

You can follow the progress of the construction project through the following channels:

Alternative routes past the construction site

You can drive a motor vehicle through the Mannerheimintie construction site throughout the renovation project. However, we recommend using alternative routes, if possible. The map below shows some routes past the construction site.

Helsinki’s largest street renovation project will be carried out in two parts

Mannerheimintie renovation project is estimated to be completed in late 2025. The construction site will also partly extend to the cross streets of Mannerheimintie.

The first to be renovated is the section between the Postikatu and Runeberginkatu streets in 2023–2024. In late 2024, with the first phase completed in terms of traffic, the work will continue between the Runeberginkatu and Reijolankatu streets.

The renovation project includes the replacement of the water pipes, power cables and other municipal infrastructure under the street as well as the tram tracks and the bridge across the Baana route, and the construction of one-way bicycle lanes on Mannerheimintie.

Mannerheimintie renovation project in numbers

  • Time for pipeline renovation – The oldest water pipeline still in use on Mannerheimintie dates back to 1877.
  • Meanwhile, under the street – 2.3 km of new water pipeline and 3.1 km of new rainwater drains.
  • New rails – 2.6 km of new tram tracks.
  • Second-oldest bridge in Helsinki to be rebuilt – The Mannerheimintie bridge across Baana dates back to 1894.
  • Helsinki’s largest street renovation project – The work area is approx. 2.8 km long and 102,000 m2 in area. 
You can drive a motor vehicle through the Mannerheimintie construction site throughout the renovation project. However, we recommend using alternative routes, if possible. The map above shows some routes past the construction site.
Proposed alternative routes for the motor vehicles.