Year: 2017

Open excavation work is about to start at the Länsimetro Finnoo worksite at the western technical shaft, the Meritie entrance shaft and the eastern technical shaft. Open excavation includes explosions, drilling, rock loading and rock transport. Open excavation takes place on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The excavation work at the western technical shaft takes place during weeks 21–25, after which there will be a break of about six weeks. An inspection, performed in cooperation with the Finnish Environment Institute on 24 May, was used to monitor the effects of explosions in the western technical shaft on wetland birds. The birds did not noticeably react to the sound or vibration of explosions and nesting birds did not leave their nests.

Open excavation will take place at the Meritie entrance from week 21 to August and after then, inclined shaft excavation will continue at the entrance.

Drilling work is performed at the eastern technical shaft during weeks 20-27. Possible effects of the explosion work on birds is estimated separately in cooperation with the Finnish Environment Institute in the beginning of June in connection with the first explosions.

Excavation work at the shaft intended for use by Rescue Services, which is located next to the eastern shaft, takes place between August and November 2017.

Open and shaft excavation at the Finnoonsilta entrance starts end of November – early December and is due to be finished in early 2018.

Further information: Länsimetro feedback phone number (Mon–Fri 9.00–15.00): +358 (0)50 377 3700

As summer begins, Länsimetro’s workforce is reinforced: Raimo Kaunismäki, M. Sc. (Tech.), has started work as Länsimetro’s Technical director on 5 June and Markku Ojansuu as the Finnoo station Real Estate Development Manager on 1 June.

Kaunismäki comes to Länsimetro from Empower Oy, where he was responsible for telecommunications projects in Finland and Sweden. Kaunismäki also has experience related to metro systems: when working for Rejlers Oy, he was involved in the Helsinki metro automation project and acted as the automation project manager.

At Länsimetro, Kaunismäki will continue working on similar themes: he is responsible for electrification and automation of the metro, among other things.

“I expect the work to be interesting and challenging”, Kaunismäki says.

Markku Ojansuu, who begins work as Finnoo’s real estate Development Manager, comes from Oilon Oy, which specialises in environmental technology, where he worked as a project manager on refrigeration plant and heat recovery projects. One of the things that was enticing about the metro was the extent of the project.

“I like projects with a long life cycle and I look forward to new interesting tasks”, says Ojansuu.

Ojansuu and Kaunismäki both got to start work in Länsimetro’s new project office in Olari, which is located even closer to Länsimetro’s phase two worksites.

“I have a very good feeling about this after less than a week of working here. We have wonderful office premises – the same quality as the metro will be”, Ojansuu hails.

Further information:

Ville Saksi, CEO, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 823 2086, ville.saksi(at)lansimetro.fi

Markku Ojansuu (left) and Raimo Kaunismäki (right) 

Länsimetro’s phase two work is in progress in the proximity of Maakravunkuja 1. Until now, the excavation under Maakravunkuja 1 has been for a connection rail that connects the Sammalvuori depot to the Espoonlahti tunnel.

The most extensive excavation of the Sammalvuori worksite near Maakravunkuja will be completed during week 23. After this, depot excavation will take place on the north side of Länsiväylä and they will all be completed in October 2017.

After the Sammalvuori excavations, there will be a short break, until the Espoonlahti worksite begins their excavation to puncture a connection to the depot tunnels. This work is estimated to last from midsummer until the end of August.

In addition to excavation, bolting and shotcreting are also performed as tunnel reinforcement measures at the worksites. These work stages will not cause considerable disturbance to residents. Drilling also takes place in the daytime. Loading and transporting excavated rock from the Sammalvuori worksite along Nyökkiönkatu may also take place at night time, in accordance with the noise permit granted by the Finnish Environment Institute.

You can use the Länsimetro monitoring service to follow the progress of the excavation.  Excavated tunnels are shown in green.

Further information:

Länsimetro feedback phone number (Mon–Fri 9.00–15.00): +358 (0)50 377 3700

24-hour hotline for the Sammalvuori depot site: +358 (0)50 343 7233

24-hour hotline for the Espoonlahti site: +358 (0)40 637 5377

 

A legal graffiti fence has been set up in the Länsimetro Kivenlahti worksite. The graffiti fence goes along the Länsiväylä side of the worksite wall and the graffiti art can be viewed from the footpath between Länsiväylä and the fence.

The wall has previously been adorned with artist Emilio Mäkipää’s bird themed works, and in May, two graffiti workshops were organised there in cooperation with Soukan nuorisotila, where young people got a chance to try out their artistic skills. Many painted with spray paint for the first time under Mäkipää’s guidance.

“We have noticed that graffiti brightens up the living environment and also prevents vandalism”, says Länsimetro’s communications director Satu Linkola.

Länsimetro graffiti projects will continue in June, as Mäkipää paints his new bird themed work onto a länsimetro access tunnel building in Matinkylä.

Further information: Länsimetro feedback phone +358 (0)50 377 3700

“How do you eat an elephant?” This was the question put by HKL’s Director of Infrastructure and Equipment, Artturi Lähdetie, in a tweet on 8 May. Lähdetie was referring to the handover to HKL of the West Metro – when Länsimetro has completed its part of the work and testing has been completed, HKL will inspect the station facilities.

HKL’s Director of Maintenance, Toni Jurva, explains that the line has been handed over, station by station, since February-March. HKL has already been responsible for the rail’s electrical power and safety equipment since the autumn of 2016, from the beginning of test runs.

A separate, on-site inspection is carried out for each station.

“Our experts tour all station facilities – public spaces, staff facilities and technical facilities – making observations, documenting them and passing our findings on to Länsimetro. The starting point is overall functionality: the serviceability and maintainability of the site, and the reliability and, above all, safety of metro traffic,” says Jurva.

Test runs reveal deficiencies that would otherwise only be discovered years later

Before transferring station management to HKL, we perform yet another inspection in order to check on previous observations and possible flaws.

“The test runs have revealed various flaws, both small and large, i.e they have demonstrated their importance. The number of deficiencies has fallen as the end of the project has approached. On the other hand, test runs of exceptional situations have revealed unforeseeable flaws, which might have remained hidden for years when running regular passenger transport,” explains Director of Infrastructure and Equipment Lähdetie.

HKL has spent over a year studying the actual facilities, making movement within the stations smooth. In addition, almost all system training has been completed – even twice in some cases.

“The handover of line sections will being based on each station-to-station section. The handover of actual management to HKL will occur when the last station and its service areas have been transferred.”

On an orange construction site fence, a pink panther will peek out from behind a combination of letters. This eight-metre work of art, which will be mounted on the construction site fence, was created by the graffiti artist, Last, one Saturday in May during the KERAPIA urban event in Kera, Espoo.

Kera is a modern industrial area, which will look different in the coming years: there are plans to locate residential buildings, services and commercial premises there. KERAPIA has already been transformed from an abandoned industrial building into an urban laboratory – during the event, Kera played host to dance performances, rap music and a diary club. There was even a workshop in which visitors could try out hoop dancing.

The event was staged by the University of Helsinki and Aalto University’s multidisciplinary Tilapioneerit (space pioneers) course, which aimed to take a participative approach to exploring urban development.

“The event went very well and even the weather was favourable, not a cloud appeared in the sky all day. There was a large crowd, with around 500 visitors during the day and 250 more in the evening,” says organiser Arttu Antila of the University of Helsinki.

Antila believes that the course, which combines lectures and event production, was a successful experience.

“We learned a great deal about urban development and event production from the perspectives of both the City of Espoo and event entrepreneurs,” he says.

At the event, Antila coordinated the implementation of painted graffiti – but needed a plywood ‘canvas’ and a partner before getting down to work. The students got in touch with Länsimetro.

“Länsimetro has had graffiti added to its fences before – Länsimetro and KERAPIA are bringing an urban environment to Espoo in this, their own inimitable way. We thought that Länsimetro would be the right kind of partner,” says Antila.

The Länsimetro office gave the idea the green light and it was agreed that the work would be displayed on the Kaitaa construction site fence after the event.

“Besides, works of art bring colour to otherwise monotonous fences and we have noticed that completed works tend to prevent vandalism,” says site supervisor Pentti Väyrynen, who warmly welcomed the work to its new location.

Graffiti artwork will appear at other Länsimetro sites during the spring. Two graffiti workshops were held in Kivenlahti in May, in collaboration with artist Emilio Mäkipää and the Soukka Youth Centre. Graffiti will also appear on the Matinkylä fence in the early summer.

Excavation is progressing for the second phase of the West Metro between Matinkylä and Kivenlahti. Five new stations – Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti – are being completed for this stretch. An underground metro depot is being build for HKL at Sammalvuori.

The second-phase project organisation is moving to joint premises in Olari, Espoo at the end of May. The key actors will be brought under the same roof: government agencies, design, construction, finance, quality and risk management, and other functions.

The lessons learned and experience gained during phase one highlight joint work, responsibility, safety, innovation and quality in particular, as well as smooth everyday life for metro passengers.

Clearer objectives

The objectives of phase two were clarified in project workshops and will direct all work done in phase two.

“We want to build a metro which improves the everyday lives of residents and creates value for every euro spent on it. Open communication with all stakeholders and the transparency of our work is highlighted in everything we do. We have a responsibility towards the taxpayer,” stresses Ville Saksi, the Managing Director of Länsimetro.

The aim is to build a metro which eases the everyday lives of passengers. A clear route and frequent services will ensure that there is no need to keep glancing at a timetable. The metro is a reliable facility that will take you quickly to your destination. Stations are located in places frequented by people, close to services.

It is intended that the metro investment will pay for itself. As an investment it is profitable, high-quality and durable. Innovative solutions are being sought and construction will stimulate overall economic growth in Finland.

The second phase will be built together. Information must flow in every direction. Good work is being rewarded based on the joint objective of getting the metro ready on time. The metro is being built responsibly and safely. Occupational safety is an everyday priority and the reliability and safety of the metro is first class, even by international standards. Responsibility also means accountability towards the taxpayer; we need to stick to schedule and budget, and communications must be open and transparent.

 

On 29 May 2017, the West Metro project office will move from Tapiola to Olari, closer to the construction sites of the project’s second phase.

You can continue to contact us by

• Telephone (Mon-Fri 9-15): +358 50 377 3700
• Email, via our feedback system

The joint test runs of the Urheilupuisto station have been completed successfully.

Tests will be carried out in Niittykumpu and Matinkylä to ensure that the systems function together in eleven fire scenarios in the lift lobby, ticket hall, platform and various parts of the rail tunnel. The tests concerning power cuts and flooding have already been completed successfully.

There has been close cooperation with various authorities throughout, and June marks the beginning of the authority inspections. Preparations are also under way for handing over the stations and the rail to HKL.

According to current estimates, metro services could start in September. Bus traffic would change to feeder network routes and a schedule in mid-August at the earliest. Until then the South Espoo and Lauttasaari buses will operate on the current routes alongside the metro service.​ The decision when metro services begin will be made by HSL.