Year: 2022

Länsimetro’s Matinkylä–Kivenlahti project was completed in line with the set targets. The project’s efficient practices and close co-operation, as well as the project organisation’s solid expertise and experience made it possible to adhere to the schedule. Commuter traffic along the section will begin on 3 December 2022.

The project was completed in line with the targets set in the project plan and its adjustment. Implementation of the project was mainly the responsibility of the integrated client organisation consisting of experts from Länsimetro and the construction consultant Sweco PM. Close co-operation and efficient practices enabled the completion of Finland’s largest infrastructure, HVAC and electricity and automation project on schedule.

“We used the experiences and lessons learned from the first construction phase of the West Metro project in the second construction phase. Based on them, we made changes to e.g. management and the project’s organisation model. We monitored the schedule, costs, risks, quality issues, co-operation and occupational safety based on the situation management model,” sums up Länsimetro’s CEO Ville Saksi. ”Our shared targets were also refined and collaboration was tightened regardless of organisational boundaries (Experts from Länsimetro and the construction consultant Sweco worked in shared facilities based on the big room model. Risks were identified and prevented through effective risk management measures.”

Luck was also involved in the construction of the West Metro extension as the key phases of the construction project, such as procurement, took place before the Covid-19 pandemic and the accelerating inflation caused by the war in Ukraine.

“All of the project’s major procurements were made before the dramatic rise in costs. If we had to start building the West Metro now, the price tag for the project would be significantly larger. The pandemic did not have any major impact on the project either, because construction had proceeded far enough when it hit. The project organisation’s operations were well-established and we were a tight-knit team when the pandemic struck,” says Ville Saksi.

Jaakko Naamanka, Project Director at Sweco PM, is happy with the end result of the project. “The project was completed to the day planned in the schedule set i. That is an incredible achievement in a megaproject like this. For that, we have to thank Länsimetro’s joint project organisation that was responsible for the implementation of the project as a whole and all the parties that contributed to the project,” says Project Director Naamanka.

This was the first time that the situation management model was used in managing a public construction project of this size. “The project’s successful management was based on situation management, in which the project’s decision-making is based on situational information that is as real-time and accurate as possible. Based on situational information, the project management can identify deviations from the set targets as early as possible and apply corrective measures. A prerequisite for successful situation management is high-quality scheduling and target-setting, and accurate situational information,” says Naamanka.

The construction of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section was decided in 2014 and the multi-year construction project began with excavation in late 2014. The construction projects ended in May 2022, after which the test runs continued until September. Länsimetro Oy has handed over the management of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section’s stations, rail line and depot to the traffic operator Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd. After the completion of construction, Länsimetro Oy will remain the owner, maintainer and developer of the rail line, stations and metro system west of Ruoholahti.

Commuter traffic on the first phase, i.e. the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä section, began in November 2017. Commuter traffic on the new Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section will begin on 3 December 2022.Further information:
Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0) 40 823 2086, ville.saksi@lansimetro.fi

West Metro project, Project Director, Jaakko Naamanka, Sweco Oy, tel. +358 (0) 400 421 143, jaakko.naamanka@sweco.fi

The metro will start operating to Kivenlahti in Espoo on Saturday 3 December. The new section of line is seven kilometers long, with five new stations: Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti.

Once the new stations are operational, there will be 30 metro stations in total. The metro network in Helsinki and Espoo is now 43 kilometers long.

The metro was extended from Ruoholahti to Matinkylä with eight new stations in 2017, when the first phase of the West Metro was completed. Since then, the works have continued to the west of Matinkylä.

– The timelines and costs of the construction of the metro extension were kept in line with the decisions of the Espoo City Council, says Olli Isotalo, the Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment, the Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro.

– Even though the metro starts operating, construction continues around the stations. In the existing areas of Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti development will be concentrated around the stations and services will improve. A completely new residential area will be created in Finnoo, continues Isotalo.

– The metro is now complete. The work of decades is coming to an end, although work to develop the metro will continue. The metro is the most popular mode of public transport: 93 percent of our customers gives the metro a good or very good rating. The environmentally friendly metro has a revolutionary impact on people’s mobility in its area, and it is also very important for the vitality of the capital region and Finland as a whole, says HSL Executive Director Mika Nykänen.

There will be no changes to feeder bus services when the new section of line opens. The metro will run in parallel with the current services for a few months. New bus routes aligned with the new section of metro line will be introduced in early 2023. The final date will be announced later.

The new metro timetables as well as bus routes and timetables will be available on the HSL Journey Planner well before the changes take effect.

The city grows with the metro line

Even though the metro runs underground in Espoo, its impacts are also felt above the ground.

The metro extension brings with it plenty of new opportunities, such as new services, apartments and jobs, thus increasing the vitality of the city. With the metro, a completely new neighborhood, Finnoo, is being created and the attractiveness of existing developments increases. The metro zone in Espoo has a growth potential of 70,000 new residents and potential for a 100 percent increase in the number of jobs by 2050.

–  The metro supports the city’s network-like structure of five city centers and sustainable urban development. Compact centers are built next to and on top of the metro line, with areas dominated by detached houses around them, explains the Mayor of Espoo, Jukka Mäkelä.

— The growth corridor of the West Metro is also crucial for the competitiveness of Espoo and Finland as a whole, and significantly promotes cooperation between companies, universities and cities, continues Mäkelä.

Western Espoo along the new section of the metro line has the biggest growth potential for public transport in the HSL area.

Frequent service and safe journeys

The metro is operated by the Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, which is also responsible for property maintenance and system supervision on the entire metro line.

– Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd and our 150 metro drivers are ready for the extension of metro services. We have prepared for the launch of services through various preparatory works. In addition to driver training and test runs, we have worked to ensure the operability of the section of line and that all technical control systems function properly when the services start. The metro is one of the most important parts of our operations. Its safety and reliability are a matter of honor to us, says the acting CEO of the Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd Antti Nousiainen.

Stations display architectural prowess

The Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section of the West Metro was completed in September. The construction project met all the the objectives set for it, such as objectives related to scheduling, costs, risks, quality, cooperation and occupational safety. After construction, Länsimetro Oy will be the owner of the tracks, stations and the metro system from Ruoholahti westwards, as well as responsible for their maintenance and development.

– The West Metro stations are architecturally attractive, Finnish architectural expertise at its best, and the unique stations serve as business cards for the areas. We eagerly look forward to welcoming passengers to the new metro stations and to enjoy the benefits of this fast mode of public transport safely, says the CEO of Länsimetro Oy Ville Saksi

The City of Espoo website: www.espoo.fi
Helsinki Region Transport website: www.hsl.fi
Metropliran Area Transport Ltd website: www.kaupunkiliikenne.fi
Länsimetro Oy website: www.lansimetro.fi

 

More information:

Espoo, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment Olli Isotalo, +358 50 593 3359, olli.isotalo@espoo.fi

HSL, Executive Director Mika Nykänen, tel. +358 9 4766 4040

Länsimetro Oy, CEO Ville Saksi, tel +358 40 823 2086

Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, Head of Unit Antti Nousiainen, tel. +358 40 579 6074

The remaining work has been scheduled so that Länsimetro Oy can hand over the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section to Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd in the autumn of 2022. At the same time, Finland’s largest infrastructure, HVAC and electricity and automation project will end. HSL will decide on the start of passenger traffic.

Construction and testing of the West Metro’s Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section has progressed to the stage where the five metro stations (Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Kivenlahti and Espoonlahti) and the rail line construction contracts ended on Friday, 13 May 2022. The Sammalvuori metro depot construction contract ended already in 2020. In April, the final testing of the systems ensuring passenger safety was carried out, and in May, the final approvals were obtained from authorities.

During the entire project, around 30,000 people were inducted in the various contracts, a total of around 2,100 person-years. The number of people working at the worksites was at its largest in November 2019, at 1,174 people. There were 905 companies involved in the various contracts.

The construction contract for the Finnoo metro station was carried out by a consortium formed by GRK Infra Oy and Aki Hyrkkönen Oy, while YIT Suomi Oy and Are Oy were responsible for the Kaitaa metro station, a consortium formed by YIT Suomi Oy and Are Oy for the Soukka metro station, and SRV Rakennus Oy and Kivenlahden Skanska Infra Oy for the Espoonlahti metro station. The rail line contract was implemented by GRK Infra Oy. The depot’s excavation and construction contract was implemented by the Sammalvuori consortium (Kalliorakennus-Yhtiöt Oy, EM Pekkinen Oy, Terrawise Oy and Aro-Systems Oy).

Alteration work on the overhaul track and night-time train depot underway to the west of Matinkylä station

“We are building one of the world’s safest metro systems. The remaining work will be scheduled so that we can hand over the section to the traffic operator Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd in the early autumn of 2022. At the same time, Finland’s largest infrastructure, HVAC and electricity and automation project will end,” says Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy.

On 9 May 2022, the restoration of the overhaul track and night-time train depot to the west of the current western terminal station Matinkylä began. When metro traffic continues from Matinkylä to Kivenlahti, the space in question will no longer be used as a service and storage area for metro trains, and the area will be available to metro traffic. The work will continue until 20 July 2022. Following the restoration work, Länsimetro Oy will hand over the final management of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section’s metro stations, rail line and depot to the traffic operator Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd in the autumn.

In addition, Länsimetro Oy is commissioning a park and ride facility at Kivenlahti, which will be completed in early 2023. Construction of the park and ride facility began in November 2021.

For commuters, the new rail section will provide a direct metro line to Kivenlahti. The new metro stations are Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti. The length of the rail section available to passengers is seven kilometres. In addition, Sammalvuori has an underground metro depot. HSL will decide on the start of passenger traffic on the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section.

Further information
Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy
Marianne Partanen, Communications Manager, Länsimetro Oy