Crown Bridges

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Crown Bridges
Kruunusillat
20230211 Helsinki, Finland - Kruunuvuorensilta, Kronbergsbron, Kruunuvuori Bridge 3.jpg
2023
CarriesTwo lines of the Helsinki tram network, pedestrians, bikes, emergency vehicles
Locale Helsinki, Finland
Characteristics
Design Cable-stayed bridge
Total length1,921 metres (6,302 ft)
Height140 metres (459 ft)
Longest span1,228 metres (4,029 ft)
Clearance below 3.1–20 metres (10–66 ft)
History
Construction start2021
Construction end2026

The Crown Bridges (Finnish : Kruunusillat) is the name given to three bridges under construction in the Finnish city of Helsinki, creating a new tram link and cycle path to the island of Laajasalo.

Contents

Background

The city council of Helsinki decided on 31 August 2016 to build a tramway to the island of Laajasalo, [1] located to the east of Helsinki city centre. The route will include three new bridges, the longest of which will be the longest in Finland at 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi), and its pylons one of the tallest structures in Helsinki. The bridges will have bicycle and pedestrian lanes in addition to the tramway, but no lanes for private cars. The total length of new double track, including tramways on Laajasalo itself, is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). [2]

There are several new areas of housing under construction on the island as of 2016. The site of a former oil shipping terminal at Kruunuvuorenranta is expected to house 12,500 new residents when construction is completed by 2025, and densification of other areas on Laajasalo is expected to add another 10,000. [2] The tramway connection over a series of bridges was originally chosen as the basis for development by Helsinki city council on 12 November 2008. [3] [4] [5] The discarded alternatives were an extension of the Helsinki Metro in a tunnel or over a bridge. [6] [7] The completed tramway plan and its funding were finally approved by the council only in August 2016, almost eight years later. [1]

Planned tram lines following the completion of the Crown Bridges project Kruunusillat.png
Planned tram lines following the completion of the Crown Bridges project

The island will be linked to the Helsinki city centre by a tram connection built on bridges from Merihaka via Sompasaari and Korkeasaari across the Kruunuvuorenselkä bay and into Kruunuvuorenranta. Instead of three lines in earlier versions, [3] the approved plan includes only two lines: [2]

However, in 2021 the approved plan was split into two different stages: the tram connection will not reach the Central Station at first but Hakaniemi market square instead. [8] [9] The temporary terminus serves as a hub for many public transport connections, including trams, buses and Hakaniemi metro station. The stated aim is to have the tramway operational between Yliskylä and Hakaniemi in 2027. [10] Construction of the second phase of the project will start in 2026 [9] and is estimated to be completed in 2028. [11]

In the plan dated in May 2016, the bridge and tramway structures are projected to cost 259 million euros, although in 2021 the maximum price was increased to 326 million euros. [8] Additionally, the required investments in a depot and rolling stock are projected at 20–25 and 75–80 million euros, respectively. [2] The total length of new double track would be about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). [2] In 2021 the Helsinki City Transport (HKL) ordered 23 ForCity Smart Artic X54 trams to operate on the Crown Bridges. The very same model, also known as Artic XL, is to operate on Jokeri light rail as well.

Construction

The Kruunuvuori Bridge construction site in summer 2022. It will become the longest bridge in Finland. Kruunuvuorensilta 7 2022-07-01.jpg
The Kruunuvuori Bridge construction site in summer 2022. It will become the longest bridge in Finland.
Merihaansilta under construction in September 2023. Merihaansilta bridge under construction (Sornainen, Helsinki, Finland) September 2023.jpg
Merihaansilta under construction in September 2023.

Construction of the bridges started in October 2021. [12] The first tracks were laid on Laajasalo island on 31 May 2022. [13]

Technical data

Crown Bridges (Kruunusillat) [14] [15]
NameLinkLengthClearance belowConstruction time
Merihaka Bridge (Merihaansilta) Merihaka–Nihti 422 metres (1,385 ft) [16] 3.1 metres (10 ft)2022-2026
Finke Bridge (Finkensilta)Nihti–Korkeasaari 293 metres (961 ft)7 metres (23 ft)2021-2025
Kruunuvuori Bridge (Kruunuvuorensilta)Korkeasaari–Kruunuvuorenranta 1,228 metres (4,029 ft)20 metres (66 ft)2021-2025

Further plans

In 2008, the city council approved a motion that in the further planning of the Laajasalo area tram, expanding the tram network to the Herttoniemi metro station should be investigated. [5] Additionally, in case that the military base in Santahamina will be freed for residential construction in the future, provisions will be made for converting the tram lines into a light rail system that would extend into Santahamina in the south and travel in a tunnel from Korkeasaari to Katajanokka, linking with the planned north–south line of the Helsinki Metro. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helsinki Metro</span> Greater Helsinki, Finland rapid transit system

The Helsinki Metro is a rapid transit system serving Greater Helsinki, Finland. It is the world's northernmost metro system. It was opened to the general public on 2 August 1982 after 27 years of planning. It is operated by Helsinki City Transport and Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd for Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and carries 92.6 million passengers per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hakaniemi</span>

Hakaniemi is an unofficial district of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It covers most of the neighbourhood of Siltasaari in the district of Kallio. Hakaniemi is located at the sea shore and is separated from the city centre by the Siltavuorensalmi strait and from the district of Linjat by the street Hämeentie. Historically, Hakaniemi was often associated with the working class and workers' associations. However, the cost of living has risen considerably in recent years and is now on par with that of the rest of central Helsinki.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korkeasaari</span> Island in Helsinki, Finland

Korkeasaari is an island in Helsinki. The literal meaning of Korkeasaari is "Tall Island/Islet". It is part of the Mustikkamaa–Korkeasaari district. Korkeasaari Zoo is located on the island and named after it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Länsimetro</span> Extension of the Helsinki Metro in Espoo, Finland

Länsimetro is an extension to the Helsinki Metro system in Finland, which opened on 18 November 2017. Länsimetro extends the system's two lines, M1 and M2, from Central Helsinki to the neighbouring city of Espoo. The new stretch continues the lines from the existing Ruoholahti station via the island of Lauttasaari, the Aalto University Otaniemi campus and Tapiola, the terminus of line M2. Line M1 continues further west to Matinkylä. Unlike previous extensions to the Helsinki Metro system, Länsimetro runs entirely underground. The second phase opened on 3 December 2022 and continues the line further west to Kivenlahti, near the municipal border of Kirkkonummi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trams in Helsinki</span>

Trams in Helsinki form part of the public transport system organised by Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and operated by Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd in Finland's capital city of Helsinki. The trams are the main means of transport in the city centre, and 56.8 million trips were made on the system in 2019. In addition to the older tram network, there is a single light rail line that was opened in October 2023. Although technically compatible with the tram network, the light rail line is separate from the tram network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public transport in Helsinki</span>

Public transport in Helsinki consists of bus, tram, metro, local railway and ferry services. The system is managed by the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and covers Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa and the outlying Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Sipoo and Tuusula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jätkäsaari</span> Area of Helsinki in Uusimaa, Finland

Jätkäsaari is a peninsula and a quarter in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. It is part to the Kampinmalmi district and Länsisatama neighbourhood. It was the site of the main container harbour in Helsinki until late 2008, when the harbour moved to the new facilities in Vuosaari. The terminals for passenger ferries to Tallinn and Saint Petersburg remain in Jätkäsaari at the West Harbour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trams in Finland</span>

Trams in Finland date from a horse-drawn Turku tramway network, which opened in 1890. Electric tramway traction started in Finland in 1900 with the introduction of electric trams in Helsinki, and the last horse-drawn trams were withdrawn from operation in 1917. Although there were three Finnish tramway networks between 1912 and World War II, by 1972 the number of networks had dwindled to just one, that of Helsinki, which remained Finland's only tramway network for almost 50 years. However, in August 2021, a light rail line was opened to the public in Tampere. There have also been proposals to set up tram or light rail networks in some other cities. As of 2021, the most concrete such plans are in Turku.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helsinki second metro line</span>

The Helsinki second metro line is a common name for planned extensions to the Helsinki Metro, intended to be developed after the Länsimetro extension has been completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of trams in Helsinki</span>

Until 2021, Helsinki was Finland's only remaining city with tram traffic. Two other cities—Turku (see Turku tram) and Vyborg —have had tram systems. Vyborg abandoned its trams in 1957 after it was ceded to the Soviet Union after the end of World War II. Turku withdrew its trams in 1972.

The city of Helsinki and the neighbouring city of Vantaa have plans for a radical expansion of the Helsinki tram network within the 2020s and 2030s that would more than double the length of the network from 2021. If completed, the plans would both extend the current tram lines and build new light rail lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mustikkamaa</span> Island in Helsinki, Finland

Mustikkamaa is an island in the Gulf of Finland, some 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the east of the city centre of Helsinki, and c. 36 hectares in size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helsinki light rail line 15</span> Light rail line in Helsinki and Espoo, Finland

Helsinki light rail line 15 is a 25-kilometre (16 mi) light rail line connecting Keilaniemi in Espoo and Itäkeskus in Helsinki, Finland. Known during construction as Jokeri light rail, construction was started in June 2019 and the line started operating in October 2023, about 10 months ahead of the original schedule. The line will eventually replace trunk bus line 550, the busiest bus service on the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority public transport network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalasatama</span> Subdivision in Uusimaa, Finland

Kalasatama is a neighbourhood in the city of Helsinki, Finland. The area is officially part of the Sörnäinen district; and like Sörnäinen, Kalasatama is located a little more than one kilometre north from the coastal centre of Helsinki, near the district of Hakaniemi, and the east side of Kalasatama borders the sea. Itäväylä, which leads in the direction of East Helsinki, runs next to Kalasatama. The Isoisänsilta pedestrian and cycling bridge, opened in 2016, connects Kalasatama to the nearby islands of Mustikkamaa, Korkeasaari and Kulosaari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kolmikulma</span> Park in Helsinki, Finland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sompasaari</span>

Sompasaari is an island on the Kruunuvuorenselkä water area in the Sörnäinen district in Helsinki, Finland. On the southern side of the Nihdinkanava channel built in the middle of Sompasaari is the island of Nihti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kruunuvuorenselkä</span> Bay in Helsinki, Finland

Kruunuvuorenselkä is a body of water in Helsinki, Finland, located between the city centre and the eastern suburbs.

References

  1. 1 2 "Helsingin kaupunginvaltuusto päätti: Kruunuvuorenrantaan rakennetaan Suomen pisin siltayhteys" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kruunusillat, hankesuunnitelma" (PDF) (in Finnish). City of Helsinki. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-11. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  3. 1 2 3 "Laajasalon raidevaihtoehtojen järjestelmätarkastelu 2008" (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsingin kaupunkisuunnitteluvirasto. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  4. ↑ "Päätöstiedote" (in Finnish). Joukkoliikennelautakunta. 2008-06-17. Archived from the original (DOC) on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  5. 1 2 "Päätöstiedote nr 20" (in Finnish). Helsingin kaupunginvaltuusto. 12 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  6. ↑ "Helsinki: Current plans on developing the tram network" (in Finnish and English). Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  7. ↑ Alku, Antero (2008-06-27). "Helsinki: Laajasalon raitiotie". www.kaupunkiliikenne.net (in Finnish). Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  8. 1 2 "Public transport Helsinki City Council approved the price increase for Crown Bridges". pledgetimes.com. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  9. 1 2 "The city council decided on the phasing and costs of the construction of the Crown Bridges tramway line". kruunusillat.fi. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  10. ↑ "Hanketietoa". kruunusillat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  11. ↑ "Suomen pisin silta ja miljoonahanke Kruunusillat etenee kustannuskiistoista huolimatta – sen raitiotie valmistuu useammassa osassa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  12. ↑ "Rakentaminen alkaa näkyä merellä". kruunusillat.fi (in Finnish). 2021-10-12. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  13. ↑ "Kruunusillat-raitiotien ensimmäiset kiskot laskettiin maahan 31.5". www.sttinfo.fi (in Finnish). STT. 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  14. ↑ "Raitiotieyhteys Laajasaloon / Yleissuunnitelma" (PDF) (in Finnish, Swedish, and English). Helsinki city. 2016. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  15. ↑ "Kruunuvuori Bridge, the new icon of Helsinki" (in Finnish and English). Kruunusillat. 2021. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  16. ↑ "Merihaansilta" (in Finnish). Kruunusillat. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
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