Traffic sparked a lot of debate in Helsinki ahead of the municipal elections. A tunnel being planned by the Port of Helsinki was one of the hot topics. Would building it cause any harm, and what good will it achieve? Questions concerning the tunnel itself are relatively easy to answer, but when a tunnel is built in the heart of Helsinki, people’s thirst for knowledge does not stop at the tunnel itself.

The fact that people are asking questions, ranging from renewable fuels to carbon offset planting, is a good thing. Helsinki residents value their city, so development and infrastructure projects must be carefully considered. Although a restructuring of the Port’s harbours has been in the works throughout the former City Council’s term of office, this has so far mainly resulted in piles of paper: dozens and dozens of reports, along with environmental impact assessments of the port tunnel and expansion of the West Harbour. Which – if a little pat on the back is allowed – just received the Hyvä YVA Award (Good EIA), which is presented annually by YVA ry for meritorious and exemplary work in assessing environmental impacts.  

So why is the port tunnel being built? In practice, Finland is an island that requires good transport connections to other countries. About 96 per cent of Finland’s imports and exports are transported by sea, and the Port of Helsinki shoulders a lot of responsibility for ensuring that this traffic flows smoothly.  Once all Tallinn traffic has been concentrated on the West Harbour in Jätkäsaari in 2032, its services and logistics must run smoothly. Shipping companies must be able to rely on the functionality of this connection over the coming decades.

Shipping companies must be able to rely on the functionality of this connection over the coming decades.

The new City Council term promises not only more planning documents, but also concrete infrastructure work. The demolition of the old terminal in the West Harbour is progressing well. The water permit required for expansion of the harbour area is pending. Renovating the quay and other outdoor areas will require a lot of phasing of work, as the port’s operations must continue without disruption. Work on different areas will overlap, so that the quays can be opened at the same time as the port tunnel and new terminal. This day will not come until the end of the next City Council term, most likely in 2032 (just as long as we receive the hoped-for political approval for the tunnel’s city plan). But before that, there will be a lot more debate and questions.aisesti. Tämä päivä, toivoen, että saamme tunnelin asemakaavalle poliittisen hyväksynnän, koittaa vasta seuraavan valtuustokauden loppuvaiheessa, arviolta vuonna 2032. Sitä ennen luvassa on vielä paljon keskustelua ja kysymyksiä.