The environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Port Tunnel connecting the West Harbour to Länsiväylä highway is being circulated for comment. The Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment will make the EIA report available for two months. The report was presented at a public event on 29 November.

The Centre will take note of all the opinions and statements presented while the report is circulated for comments, and will then issue its reasoned conclusion around March.

The impacts of three alternative routes for the Port Tunnel were assessed during the EIA process. They are marked D, A and C on the map.

“No differences were identified between the environmental impacts of these alternatives once the tunnel is operational. However, there are significant differences in the project’s impacts during construction, especially on traffic,” says Pekka Hellström, VP Technical Services at the Port of Helsinki.

In alternatives C and D, the connection of the tunnel entrance to Länsiväylä will hinder traffic on the highway for a long time. However, alternative A will have a major impact on vegetation, animals and conservation sites during construction. The building of the tunnel entrance in Lapinlahti would negatively affect the local population of turnip-rooted chervil, which is home to the endangered moth Depressaria chaerophylli. Alternative A would also have an unfavourable impact on flying squirrels. In this alternative, the highway tunnel entrance would be located north of Ilmarinen’s building.

The port-side entrance is located in the same place in all alternatives. The new Maritime Centre will be built on top of this entrance.