The route runs along Itäväylä, Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie to Vuosaari Harbour.
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
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.
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 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.
