The 110-year-old bridge on the Jätkäsaari isthmus will be renovated. The bridge is located south of Länsilinkki on Jätkäsaarenlaituri. In the renovation, a new turning lane will be built from the direction of Jätkäsaari to the right. At the same time, municipal wiring and cables will also be replaced along with the waterfront walls. The walls are very old and also in need of repair.
The new bridge will consist of two steel pipe bridges. The southern retaining wall of the bridge will be covered with paving stones. Access under the bridge on small boats will be retained after the renovation.
“We are aiming for the new bridge to last 100 years. The old bridge has reached the end of its service life, and now is a good time to rebuild it. At the same time, it makes sense to renovate the waterfront walls,” says City of Helsinki Project Manager Jukka Repo.
The renovation work will start on Monday, 28 October.
Passage for all modes of transport is retained
The renovated bridge is located in a busy area, which is one of the main routes to the port. For this reason, the bridge will be rebuilt in parts and in stages.
“To us, it is of utmost importance that traffic flow remains as uninterrupted as possible during the renovation. For traffic on wheels, two lanes in each direction will remain in use through the construction site for the entire duration of the renovation. Lorries will be able get to and from the port all the times,” says work foreman Roope Korpela from GRK Suomi Oy.
Tram traffic will also continue to run through the construction site throughout the renovation.
Demanding project with three stages
The bridge renovation is mainly carried out in three stages during 2024–2026. The biggest changes to traffic will happen in the spring of 2025, when the second phase of the renovation project begins with the rebuilding of the central part of the bridge. In total, the renovation project will be completed by the end of 2026.
- In the first stage (from October 2024), the work will initially focus on the west end of the bridge and its terrace structure. There will be a slight narrowing of the roadway’s lanes. Work will also take place on the eastern edge of the bridge.
- In the second stage (tentatively starting in spring 2025), work will take place in the centre of the bridge, from where the vehicle traffic will be moved to the west side of the bridge and a new embankment.
- The tram will use a temporary working bridge in the middle of the renovation site while the bridge is being rebuilt around the rails.
- Motor vehicles leaving the port and Jätkäsaari use an embankment built on the sea to the east of the bridge. There will also be a pedestrian and cycling path on the embankment.
- In the third phase (summer 2026), the construction site will gradually restore traffic to its previous locations as the bridge is completed. Temporary structures, such as the embankment, are torn down, and the street surfaces are finished.
As a rule, work at the construction site is carried out on weekdays from 7 am to 8 pm. The contractor is GRK Suomi Oy.
Noise sources include piling and dredging
Piling and dredging, which are part of the bridge renovation, will cause noise. Particularly noisy work is carried out in accordance with the noise permit. Evening and weekend work will be announced separately. The drill-piling and construction of the embankment will be carried out as quickly as possible.
Information available in different channels
You can follow the progress of the renovation through the following channels:
- Up-to-date information on the renovation and current traffic arrangements will be updated at: hel.fi/jatkasaarensilta (in Finnish), hel.fi/jatkasaaribridge (later available in English)
- Follow the renovations on Facebook: facebook.com/jatkasaarensilta(Link leads to external service)
Dog park near the western route reduced during renovation
The dog enclosure next to the bridge will remain available, but the size of the enclosure will have to be reduced due to the construction site. The aim is to restore the fence to its normal size as soon as possible.
Artworks to be put in storage during renovation
The artwork, Horisontti, on Jätkäsaarenlaituri, will put into storage during the renovation. Similarly, the steel orbs of Olo No. 22(Link leads to external service), on the Ruoholahdenranta side, will be put in storage during the renovation. (Link leads to external service)
