West Metro Connections FAQ

On Länsiväylä, continuous public transport lanes, running in both directions, will be constructed between Espoonlahti and Matinkylä. The project will also include further development of the pedestrian and bicycle route network, as well as improvement of noise protection.

Other construction work will include a bus ramp from Länsiväylä to Markkinakatu, giving public transport direct access to the Matinkylä metro station. The project will also cover the construction of a real-time guidance system for park-and-ride facilities, as well as a number of variable-message signs.

The project will began in July–August 2014 and run approximately one year covering the construction of public-transport lanes and noise protection barriers. The bus ramp from to Markkinakatu will be opened when the West Metro begins operating.

Road and street arrangements in Gräsanlaakso will improve the traffic flow between Länsiväylä and Ring Road II. For example, the traffic light controlled junction now serving the Gräsanlaakso road and the ramps south of the Matinsolmu interchange area, will be turned into a three-arm roundabout. The contract also includes the construction of pedestrian and bicycle routes.

Construction is scheduled for mainly year 2015, when no other projects with a significant impact on traffic crossing Länsiväylä will be under way in the area.

The project as a whole is expected to be completed during 2016.

This project will facilitate smooth running of public transport and alleviate congestion on one of the capital area's busiest major arteries.

Continuous bus lanes between Espoonlahti and Matinkylä will make traffic run more smoothly on Länsiväylä and help public transport to run on time. A bus ramp will be constructed to connect Länsiväylä and Markkinakatu, which will significantly shorten bus travel times to the Matinkylä metro station.

The pedestrian and bicycle route network will be developed by for example improving connections to Matinkylä metro station.

To reduce traffic noise affecting residential areas, noise bunds and barriers will be constructed, making the areas along Länsiväylä, including their residential use, more pleasant. Through noise protection, the number of people exposed to noise will be reduced from the current 500 to 200. Noise protection will also reduce noise affecting recreational areas, such as the Suomenoja valley.

Road and street arrangements in Gräsanlaakso will significantly smoothen the flow of traffic between Länsiväylä and Ring Road II, and the development of the pedestrian and bicycle route network will make it safer and more functional.

Länsiväylä motorway (Main Road 51) is an entry and exit artery in the Finnish metropolitan area, with extremely heavy traffic of 30,000 to 70,000 vehicles on an average weekday. These traffic volumes are expected to grow in the future.

Active measures will be taken to inform all parties affected by the project of its impacts. Furthermore, during the project planning stage project representatives have engaged in dialogue with the various target groups in the project's work area.

Various spots located in the vicinity of the project with a high natural value were charted and evaluated during the project's planning stage. When actual construction begins, the work will abide by the restrictions and requirements issued by experts within the ELY Centre's area of environmental responsibility.

With respect to bird populations, the most notable impact of construction work will be noise. However, the distance between valuable bird breeding and resting areas and Länsiväylä is long, and noise caused by construction will not exceed the normal noise level on this motorway. In some sections, following the construction of the planned noise barriers, noise levels will in fact be reduced once construction is complete.

A crossing over Länsiväylä for the flying squirrel is located within the project area. Account will be taken of this by planning the noise barriers in such a way that they do not block the crossing. Trees vital to the flying squirrel's movements will also be left uncut.

It is estimated that the project will cost €19.9 million, €13.1 million of which will be met by the Finnish government and €6.8 million of which will be met by the City of Espoo. During the project, streets and pedestrian and bicycle routes will be constructed in Espoo, the value of this work amounting to €1.3 million.

The project is a joint project between the Finnish Transport Agency and the City of Espoo, and was commissioned by the Finnish Transport Agency.

The goal is to cause the minimum harm to traffic during the entire duration of the refurbishment project. Correct phasing of the work and other, similar measures will be taken to achieve this.

Construction of continuous lanes for public transport between Espoonlahti and Matinkylä will require no large-scale reorganisation of traffic. However, during the refurbishment of ramps at interchanges and the construction of noise barriers, detour arrangements may become necessary.

With respect to road and street arrangements in Gräsanlaakso, construction work will be carried out at the the southern end of Ring Road II and in some other sections, which may require detours during the work.