Construction began at 13 sites on 3 June 2019. These work sites have expanded over the year, and now a total of nearly 19 kilometres of the rail line is already under construction. The construction phase has now gone on for 12 months, equalling 20 % of the entire project. By now, 21 % of the construction work phases have been completed, and 28 % of the project’s total costs, including the planning phase that began in autumn 2017, have been invoiced.
Construction and planning have proceeded rapidly even amid the exceptional circumstances this spring. While construction plans are still being prepared for sites at which construction will begin at a later date, planners also have their hands full with construction site services.
“When something unexpected comes up at a construction site or plans need to be otherwise adjusted, planners start thinking up alternative solutions and drawing up plans for them. This makes planners’ work both interesting and challenging,” describes Planning Manager Jyrki Oinaanoja.
The number of plans approved during the first year of construction was 2,770.
The track builders have also gotten their hands dirty, as a result of which tracks are already visible on several streets: on Maarintie, Linnoitustie, Ravitie and Pirkkolantie. By the turn of May and June, a total of 500 metres of the double line had been laid. By the end of the year, the plan is to have approximately 8 kilometres of rail lines laid.
“The moment at which excavation work is at the point where the construction of the rail line can begin is an important interim target and milestone for us. It tells us that we are on schedule,” says Project Manager Ari Bergström.
The project’s builders have also been hard at work building bridges, support walls, pile plates and other specialised structures for Jokeri Light Rail. The rail line’s first bridges will be completed this summer. In addition to this, there are several support walls and other specialised structures under construction, including Huopalahti station’s concrete tunnel, the Varikkotie groundwater trough and landbridge and the Sello deck in Espoo.
By now, a total of 15 metres of the Patterimäki rail tunnel have been excavated. The excavation began in April 2020 and will be completed by the end of the year.
The number of personnel trained for all these work tasks so far is 2,887.
The current year has been colorful in regard to environmental issues. The Siberian flying squirrels of Patterimäki and the Viilarintie ‘hiidenkouru’ rock formation have already left their mark in the history of the project, but so too will the moving of the mussels, the voluntary work on the trout brooks and the other
“The construction of Jokeri Light Rail affects the everyday lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Of course we also receive negative feedback, but the majority of residents have displayed a positive attitude towards the project. We want to be worthy of people’s trust and carry out the construction and related communications well and on schedule,” states the client’s Project Director Juha Saarikoski.
“This will be a work-filled summer for the builders of Jokeri Light Rail. The construction volume is set to triple compared to summer last year,” Ari Bergström says.
The construction of Jokeri Light Rail will continue until the end of 2023. After finalisation work and test drives, the plan is to have Jokeri Light Rail ready for people to ride in June 2024.