The Crown Bridges are a good example of how rail transport is integrated into urban development. The Crown Bridges will improve the lives of residents in many ways, say Ville Alajoki and Niko Setälä.
When Kruunuvuorensilta bridge was opened to pedestrians and cyclists, interest in the Crown Bridges exploded. On the opening weekend, no fewer than 50,000 Helsinki residents visited the bridges connecting Laajasalo, Korkeasaari, Kalasatama and Hakaniemi.
Possibly already at the end of the year, tram services can start also on the Kruunuvuorensilta, Finkensilta and Merihaansilta routes. According to HSL, there will be two lines: line 11 from Kruunuvuorenranta via Kalasatama to Pasila and line 12 from Yliskylä to Hakaniemi and, during the renovation of the Junatie metro bridge, to Rautatientori. At the same time, bus services from different parts of Laajasalo to Herttoniemi will remain at a good level.
“It's great that we've come this far already. Once the tram service starts, the journey time from Kruunuvuorenranta to the city centre by public transport will be halved. It has already been halved for cyclists. This is the biggest change that the Crown Bridges will bring," says Team Manager Niko Setälä, who is in charge of the development of the public transport system in the City of Helsinki.
The route between Kruunuvuorenranta and the railway station will be shortened from 11 kilometres to 5.5 kilometres, as taking a detour via Herttoniemi is no longer the only way to get to the city centre.By tram, the journey will take roughly 15 minutes.
“At the opening ceremony, people said that they can now go from Kruunuvuorenranta to Hakaniemi for a coffee," says Crown Bridges tramway Project Director Ville Alajoki.
People are also starting to take the opposite route. More people are travelling to work, school and other destinations from numerous directions, creating demand for new services in brick and mortar premises along the route. The route is worth trying for the scenery alone.
Kruunuvuorensilta is the longest bridge in Finland at around 1,200 metres, and its supporting column, or pylon, rises to a height of 135 metres.
The Crown Bridges are a good example of how rail transport becomes a seamless part of urban development. As new residential districts are built, new connections between neighbourhoods are needed.
In line with the Helsinki City Strategy, smooth transport is part of well-functioning daily life. This means strong development of tram, walking and cycling traffic. This also supports the City's climate objectives. At the same time, the freed-up street network will make driving smoother. According to Setälä, Helsinki is building a tramway network in several directions.
The West Harbour light rail is planned as a continuation of the Crown Bridges. Bus 12 will run from Hakaniemi via Kaivokatu and Kamppi to Jätkäsaari. Its master plan has been approved and the project plan and implementation will be decided this year.
The construction of the West-Helsinki Light Rail is progressing in the west. The future light rail line 14 will run from the city centre via Meilahti, Munkkiniemi, Haaga and Lassila to Kannelmäki. In the north-east, the Viikki–Malmi light rail would provide a new connection to Malmi via Kumpula, Viikki and Malminkenttä. The project plan will be decided by 2029.
All these rail projects will connect to the rest of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area through hubs and will improve the high level of public transport services. Along this network, you can count on frequent services and easy transfers between different modes of public transport.
At the same time, the landscape will change as new tramways will be flanked by plants, cycle paths and renovated streets.
“The process involves rebuilding the street environment. It can be done in a high-quality way, improving the urban landscape at the same time," Setälä says.
Wherever the rails go, the services are bound to follow.
Ville Alajoki returns to reflect on the Crown Bridges. He has a slightly surreal feeling that this exceptionally large and multi-dimensional project is slowly leaving his desk. Alajoki says that the project has challenged him in many ways. In addition to the tramway, the Crown Bridges project has involved the building of temporary and new bridges, taking the sea conditions into account and adapting the construction sites to the crammed Helsinki peninsula.
The goings-on in the world around the project have also added their own twists to the project. Examples of this include the COVID pandemic, which disrupted the start of work, and the impact of the war in Ukraine started by Russia, for example on the availability of steel. Securing steel deliveries was a matter of hours.
“We have managed to stick to the broad lines, even though things and the timetable have constantly changed," says Alajoki.
Ultimately, the success of the tram network will be measured by how the connections work in practice. We need short headways and efficient transfer connections, reliable trams and smooth services. That is why driver training is also very important.
Driver training and timetable planning help to find a rhythm for a new route that feels smooth from the perspective of the passenger. It is the ease of tram transport, and rail transport in general, that inspires Alajoki, who travels both by tram and train.
“I walk to the stop and know that I usually only have to wait a few minutes for the train to arrive," says Alajoki.
Setälä thinks that it is nice not to have to open a route guide along a highly effective public transport network. In the future, it may be necessary for a while to get to know the new routes. He sees the tracks as a promise of service.
“They create a sense of permanence. Wherever the rails go, the services are bound to follow.”
Text: Katja Alaja