Tulvaniitynsilta bridge over the Vantaa River in Pihlajisto, Helsinki is now completed, and it will be open to pedestrians and cyclists from Thursday 8 October onwards. The bridge will be an addition to the scenery around Vantaa River. Elements such as accessibility, environmental and scenic values and the free flow of the water have been taken into consideration in the bridge solution.
The bridge for pedestrians and cyclists crosses Vantaa River at a gentle slope, but allows the river to flood. The deck of the bridge is gently arching, and the arch above the bridge is such that pillars are not needed on the riverbed. The slanting deck also helps stabilise the bridge.
The construction of Tulvaniitynsilta began in July 2019. Risto Laamanen, who is in charge of the special structures in the Oulunkylä–Viikinmäki area of Jokeri Light Rail, states that the installation of the bridge’s arch and its steel structures were exceptional achievements in the project. “The mould of the bridge arch was made in an unconventional way by hanging it from the steel structures. Last year’s floods posed a challenge for the construction when the water of the river rose above the bridge’s support walls. But we managed it all,” Laamanen says.
The area will see new traffic arrangements along with the bridge’s completion. Tulvaniitynsilta will be accessible by foot and bicycle from Thursday 8 October 2020 onwards. The old bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, under the old railway bridge on Maaherrantie, will be closed and dismantled mid-October. However, the recreational paths on the eastern and western banks of the Vantaa River will be re-opened as Tulvaniitynsilta is opened.
The widening of the bridge will start at the crossroads of Maaherrantie and Tulvaniitynpolku. This is why Tulvaniitynpolku will be closed to all traffic between Maaherrantie and Tulvaniitynkuja. It is predicted that this section will remain blocked until the end of November. The diversion for pedestrians and cyclists runs along the routes on both sides of Maaherrantie, via the western bank of the Vantaa River.
The old railway bridge on Maaherrantie will be dismantled in March 2021, and the bus traffic on Maaherrantie will be diverted to another route.