The extensive renovation of the Vuosaari tunnel began three weeks ago, on 6 January. During the major renovation, all the tunnel's technical systems will be replaced and tunnel structures will be repaired. The overhaul of the tunnel’s technical systems began swiftly and has progressed on schedule. The transition of traffic to the detour has been safe in partly poor driving conditions. Take a look at the progress of the tunnel renovation and traffic flow on the detour and read about the new traffic arrangements on Ring Road III during construction.
Work in the Vuosaari tunnel is progressing as planned. At the moment, the technology in the tunnel tubes, such as the fire alarm, smoke extraction, ventilation and fault detection systems, as well as the lighting, camera and traffic control systems, has already being dismantled. The asphalt surfaces in the tunnel have also been stripped and removed.
At the same time, work outside the tunnel has also progressed, where the dismantling of old cables and the installation of new cables as well as the excavation of a pressure sewer are under way. Work will also continue inside the tunnel in the next few weeks with the dismantling of technical facilities and connecting corridors.
“The work is carried out according to a takt schedule in two shifts, which enables the dismantling and construction work to progress side by side on different fronts. The renovation project will include the replacement of the tunnel’s technical systems in their entirety, the repair of structures and the update of the drainage and fire-extinguishing water systems. The demolition work is extensive, as a total of nearly 300 kilometres of cabling alone will be removed from the tunnel. However, we will do everything we can to ensure that the Vuosaari tunnel available for traffic on schedule, and that the tunnel will be safe and functional again,” says Fintraffic Project Manager Jukka Värri.
The safety of long highway tunnels is guided both by official regulations as well as requirements determined by the EU, which also need to be complied with during repair work. For this reason, demolition and renovation work cannot be carried out in smaller parts, such as one tunnel tube at a time, and the work must progress and a consistent whole. The construction work will last for about a year, after which the tunnel originally opened in 2008 will be reopened in renovated condition for traffic use.
Maintenance of the detour upped during the winter season
The Vuosaari tunnel renovation has caused major changes to the area’s traffic, which is now passing through the detour Ring Road III-Itäväylä-Kallvikintie-Niinisaarentie-Satamakaari-Vuosaari harbour. The City of Helsinki, which is responsible for the winter maintenance of the detour, has raised the maintenance of the detour to the highest possible category during the winter. Similarly, the economic development centre responsible for the maintenance of Itäväylä has specified the area in question in its highest maintenance category. In addition, separate maintenance equipment has been reserved for the detour to support the city’s winter maintenance.
“The transition to the detour has been a major change, but it has been progressed in a safe manner in its entirety. In the early stages, a few heavy vehicles got stuck on the Kallvikintie hill due to poor driving conditions in Uusimaa, but these situations were also quickly resolved with maintenance support. Thousands of trucks have already travelled on the detour road, so fortunately these have been singular instances. Separate sand containers have now been brought to the hill to help,” continues Värri.
Driving conditions on the detour are monitored 24 hours a day, and the aim is to schedule ploughing and sanding in a manner that will ensure traffic flow remains as smooth as possible even in difficult weather conditions.
Did you know? You can also submit feedback on the winter maintenance of the detour using the Helsinki street network’s Report a problem form or, for the road network, in the Feedback Channel site in Report an issue. If you notice sudden deviations that can pose a danger to traffic on the detour, such as dangerous slippery conditions, you can also call the Road User Hotline during the tunnel renovation.
Advance planning ensures traffic travels smoothly along the detour
Traffic volumes vary on the Vuosaari tunnel detour throughout the day, and taking this into account will help in setting aside enough time for your own journey. Harbour traffic on the detour road is heavy on weekdays, and the busiest time is usually 10:00–12:00, especially on the route away from the harbour when trucks are unloaded from ferries. In addition, normal commuting on the detour causes queues in the mornings and afternoons.
“The key to safe traffic at the moment is sufficient safety distances and driving in a manner that takes others into account. There is an abundance of traffic on the detour road and this includes a large number of trucks, so please reserve time and remain vigilant while behind the wheel. The driving conditions will remain wintery here in the south of Finland for a few more months, so let’s anticipate and keep safety as our focus during winter conditions,” says Jukka Värri.
This week, the smooth flow of traffic In the vicinity of the detour has also been improved by means of traffic arrangements, and the E30 traffic sign has been added just before Vuosaari for traffic travelling from the west on Ring Road III. The traffic sign guides traffic from two lanes to one, and the vehicles move alternately to the continuing lane.
The flow of traffic and driving conditions on the detour can be viewed in the free Fintraffic App, which can be downloaded from app stores. You can also view the daily schedules of freight vessels carrying trucks on the Port of Helsinki website.
