Frequently asked questions

The Vuosaari road tunnel needs to be repaired because its safety systems and other equipment that help traffic flow are reaching the end of their life cycle. At the same time, other repairs will be carried out in the tunnel. This will keep the tunnel safe and traffic flowing smoothly in the future. 

The Vuosaari road tunnel runs from the Ring Road III interchange on Itäväylä to Vuosaari harbour. The tunnel is about 1.5 kilometres long with two lanes in each direction. Vehicles travelling in different directions drive in their own tunnel tubes. On average, around 7,650 cars and 2,700 heavy goods vehicles pass through the tunnel every day. The tunnel opened in 2008 and more than half of its traffic is port traffic.

All safety equipment and other tunnel technology will be replaced. This includes fire alarms, smoke extraction, ventilation and alarm systems, lighting, cameras and traffic management systems. At the same time, the tunnel structures will be repaired and the drainage and fire-extinguishing water systems under the tunnel will be replaced.

The project also includes improving the tunnel's alternative route. This route will serve as a primary detour during the tunnel repairs. The detour runs through Itäväylä, Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie to Vuosaari harbour.

The repair of the tunnel will start in spring/summer 2025 and will take about one year. During that time, the tunnel will be closed to traffic. The detour will be improved before the tunnel is closed, with improvement work starting in late 2024. 

Fintraffic will be responsible for the tunnel and for carrying out construction work on the detour. The City of Helsinki and the Uusimaa ELY Centre will be responsible for planning improvements to the alternative route. If you have any questions about the project, you can contact us using the feedback form on the website.

The work will have a significant impact on motorists and residents in the area, as the tunnel will have to be closed for 11 months. During this time, vehicles will use the detour. One of the main objectives is to repair the tunnel in a way that causes as little disruption to traffic as possible. This can be achieved by keeping the tunnel closed only for as long as is absolutely necessary and making the detour as smooth and safe as possible. 

The primary detour to the port is via Itäväylä–Kallvikintie–Niinisaarentie–Vuosaari harbour. Depending on the time of day and the volume of traffic, journey times may increase from a few minutes to more than ten minutes. When travelling away from the harbour, the duration of the journey will also be affected by the number of heavy goods vehicles leaving the harbour. In the mornings and afternoons, there can be congestion and queues. 

The tunnel closure will increase traffic, especially on Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie. Smooth and safe operation of the detour will be improved before the tunnel is repaired. The largest measures are the construction of additional lanes at the Itäväylä and Kallvikintie junction and the Niinisaarentie and Kallvikintie roundabout. Improvements will also be made at the Niinisaarentie and Porslahdentie junction and the Niinisaarentie and Satamakaari junction.  

We have informed residents and businesses in the area about the project as early as possible so that they can prepare for the changes. 

The tunnel has to be closed because it is not safe to drive in it when major repairs are being carried out. In addition, strict safety regulations do not allow traffic in a tunnel where safety systems are not in place. 

During the construction planning phase, many options were considered for carrying out the renovation. The comparison took extensive account of the safety and accident risks in the tunnel and on the detour during the work, the duration of the work and the costs. All options included long periods when the tunnel would have been closed. When the Vuosaari tunnel was built in the early 2000s, the control systems were implemented in such a way that traffic is not allowed in both directions in one tunnel tube. 

When the tunnel is closed, vehicles will use the detour from Itäväylä via Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie to Vuosaari harbour. This route is normally used as an alternative route during tunnel maintenance work and is also used by special transport vehicles. 

Before the repair work starts, we will improve the safety and flow of the detour, especially at junctions and pedestrian crossings. The route will then function better when traffic increases. The functioning of the alternative route will be tested with real traffic before the start of the repair work.

There are two ways to reduce traffic problems when the tunnel is closed: keeping the closure time as short as possible and ensuring the functionality of the detour.

Tunnel closure time can be reduced by working in several shifts, by carrying out demolition and construction work at different points in the tunnel at the same time and by ensuring that the necessary experts are available. Specialised skills are required, for example in the installation, testing and commissioning of technical systems in the tunnel.

Smooth traffic flow can be most influenced by ensuring that the detour works well.  This is measured by travel time. The detour runs along Itäväylä, Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie to Vuosaari harbour. Some vehicles are also likely to use other routes. Before the tunnel is repaired, the problem areas on the detour will be improved and winter maintenance will be stepped up. This will keep journey times reasonable, reduce congestion and prevent accidents. The planning takes into account the high number of heavy goods vehicles on the route.

Before the tunnel is repaired, the detour will be improved to cope with the increased traffic. Additional lanes will be built at the junction of Itäväylä and Kallvikintie and at the roundabout at Niinisaarentie and Kallvikintie. Smaller improvements will also be made at the junctions of Niinisaarentie and Porslahdentie, and Niinisaarentie and Satamakaari. The safety of the route will be improved, especially at pedestrian crossings, and winter maintenance of the route will be stepped up. The detour will be tested with real traffic before the tunnel repair work starts.

Even with these improvements, the traffic leaving the harbour during the afternoon rush hour may still cause congestion on Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie if many heavy goods vehicles leave a ship at once.

The journey time from Ring Road III to Vuosaari harbour is expected to increase from a couple of minutes to more than ten, depending on the direction of travel, time of day and number of heavy goods vehicles leaving the port. Be prepared to queue, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Travel time will also be affected by the fact that the detour from Ring Road III to the harbour is about five kilometres long, compared to about three kilometres for the direct link through the tunnel. 

There will be hardly any noise and dust from tunnel construction work coming from the tunnel entrances. The detour improvements will cause temporary traffic disruption for road users. The main detour improvements will be at the junction of Itäväylä and Kallvikintie and the roundabout at Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie.  

You can send us your questions or feedback via the feedback form. We will endeavour to reply as soon as possible. We serve the public on weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm.