Helsinki’s busiest roads and streets have now been successfully cleared of snow following a period of exceptionally heavy snowfall. At present, the snow removal effort is focusing primarily on streets in residential areas and pedestrian and bicycle paths. The snow removal effort is expected to take several more weeks due to the sheer amount of snow needing to be cleared.

The English section of the Helsinki-lehti bulletin’s new edition presents the first steps and next moves of Helsinki Central Library Oodi, a futuristic vision for Helsinki, and how music can be a powerful force uniting people across cultural boundaries.

The Helsinki metropolitan City Bikes bike-share programme will expand from 150 docking stations and 1,500 bikes with 88 new stations and 880 new bikes for the 2019 season. The geographical reach of the programme will also expand, while current service areas will gain new stations.

When the works commence, tram routes will be diverted to run via Kallio and Sturenkatu and there will be no tram services in Sörnäinen for the duration of the works. The change affects tram routes 1, 6, 6T, 7 and 8.

Helsinki aims to be the world's most functional city and to offer the best possible conditions for urban life, both for those who already live in the city and for those who contemplate moving here.

The plans for the large-scale renovation of Finlandia Hall have been completed and are entering the phase of political decision-making. Thanks to the temporary facilities, called Little Finlandia, Finlandia Hall will remain open to customers throughout the renewal project.

The City Divisions and municipally owned companies will hire about 4,000 summer workers in total. The City-owned enterprises will also hire summer help.

The cities of Helsinki, Tampere and Vantaa are preparing to join the Suomirata or Finland Railway project company, which is tasked to develop the country's main rail line. Finland Railway will in due course enable direct and fast transportation between Helsinki city centre and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, direct long-distance train transportation from the main line to the airport and an approximately one-hour ride from Tampere to Helsinki. Finland Railway will to a large extent benefit rail traffic development opportunities and all of Finland.