Further improvements to the alternative route of the Vuosaari road tunnel will be ready by 5 October. Next, functionality tests of the alternative route will take place between 6 and 9 October. During the testing, the tunnel will be closed, and traffic will be directed to the improved alternative route.
Further improvements for the alternative route of the Vuosaari road tunnel will open to traffic on Sunday 5 October, and functionality testing will take place between 6 October at 22:00 and 9 October at 22:00. The route runs along Itäväylä, Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie to Vuosaari Harbour. These tests are intended to ensure as smooth a flow of traffic as possible during the closure of the tunnel for extensive renovations next year.
“Closing the tunnel will have an inevitable impact on traffic in Vuosaari and more driving near homes. However, we have worked hard to reduce the impact on daily lives during the tunnel renovation on the alternative route. During the first phase of tests this summer, the detour was already promising and now that we are in October, tests will show how the further improvements make rush hour smoother. However, you should expect that it will be impossible to fully eliminate congestion and plan your driving around that,” says Jukka Värri, Project Manager at Fintraffic.
During the trial, monitoring targets will be the smoothness of merging from Ring Road III to Itäväylä, the functioning of new lanes at the Itäväylä and Kallvikintie intersection and the smooth flow of traffic at the Niinisaarentie roundabout, at the Satamakaari intersection, on Rahtarinkatu and on Kallvikintie.
Testing of the alternate route will involve various measuring points on the ground and driving through the route regularly with other traffic. Other sources of data will include drone footage, Fintraffic traffic measurement stations and cameras, and routing data. Particular points for observation will be traffic flows during peak hours, pedestrian crossings, and functioning of the intersections.
Testing ensures the functioning of the detour
On Sunday 5 October, new, temporary traffic arrangements will be placed on the alternative route to improve the flow of traffic during the tunnel renovation:
- On the eastbound side of Itäväylä, the left-hand lane is the only lane for driving straight, and the right-hand lane is only for turning to Kallvikintie. This makes it possible to freely turn right from Kallvikintie for drivers heading east.
- The traffic light cycle in the Itäväylä and Kallvikintie intersection has been adjusted to allow for better flow of traffic through the intersection during rush hour.
- The bus stop south of the Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie roundabout is not in use. This eliminates the slowdowns caused by stopping buses and allows for better flow of traffic. The lane passing the roundabout has also been opened for everyone.
- The speed limit on the section of street from the Kallvikintie roundabout to the Satamakaari intersection has been reduced to 40 kilometres per hour to ensure better predictability of traffic, smoother merges and lane changes.
Earlier this year, several improvements have been made to the Vuosaari Tunnel alternate route to ensure as smooth a traffic flow as possible during next year’s renovation of the tunnel. The most significant improvements have been the construction of additional lanes at the Itäväylä and Kallvikintie intersection and the Niinisaarentie and Kallvikintie roundabout. In addition, the Niinisaarentie and Porslahdentie roundabout and the Niinisaarentie and Satamakaari intersection have been improved to meet special transport requirements. The alternate route has also been placed on the highest level of winter maintenance. These changes saw tests in the summer and based on those results, plans for further improvements were drawn up this autumn, which will undergo testing between 6 and 9 October.
Safety regulations require a full closure of the tunnel
During the construction work, which will begin on 6 January 2026, the Vuosaari road tunnel will be completely closed to traffic for one year, as strict safety regulations for tunnels do not allow traffic in a tunnel whose safety systems are not in use. These systems are necessary for the safe evacuation of the tunnel in the event of a disruption.
“The Vuosaari tunnel has been open for almost twenty years. Now, it is facing a large renovation project, in which the outdated technology is overhauled to make the tunnel safe and reliable to drive through. This is an overhaul of all key systems – from fire detectors and smoke removal to ventilation, cameras, and lighting. There’s as much tech in the tunnel as in a small factory, even if drivers don’t see it on their way through. At the same time, we will repair the tunnel structures and replace the drainage and fire-extinguishing water systems under the tunnel. In other words, this is a significant project that makes the tunnel safe for generations to come,” continues Jukka Värri.
The tunnel project has been a joint effort by many actors. Fintraffic has engaged in close cooperation with the City of Helsinki and the ELY Centre for Uusimaa, which have been responsible for planning the alternative route. During the planning phase, a lot of cooperation has also been carried out with the Vuosaari harbour, as more than half of the tunnel traffic is related to harbour operations. Efforts have been made to distribute information on the tunnel closure as early as possible to the area’s residents. Local companies and early childhood education and care actors have also been provided information well in advance about the impacts of the tunnel closure to ensure the smooth running of everyday life in the best possible way.
Project information:
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.
