Media Releases

Construction work on the Sammalvuori metro depot of the Länsimetro Matinkylä-Kivenlahti section has begun. Two underground halls are going to be built in the depot – one for the night-time storage of metro trains and the other for maintenance facilities. Technical facilities are also being built at the northern end of the maintenance hall.

There is currently only one metro depot in Finland – the Helsinki metro depot in Myllypuro. However, Länsimetro’s Sammalvuori depot differs from the solutions at the Myllypuro depot.

“The depot is being built completely inside bedrock. The depot commission includes excavation and construction work, as well as planning for the entire depot. This is an exceptional mode of operation and form of cooperation compared to Länsimetro’s previous contracts, and it requires new ways of thinking and close cooperation between all parties, which has already provided plenty of positive experiences during the excavation phase,” says Ulla Valtonen, Life Cycle and Risk Manager and Sammalvuori Depot Real Estate Development Manager from Länsimetro Oy.

The Sammalvuori excavation and construction consortium consists of Kalliorakennus-Yhtiöt Oy, EM Pekkinen Oy, Konevuori Oy and Aro-Systems Oy.

E.M. Pekkinen Oy is implementing the work carried out after the excavation, such as pipework, sewerage, bearing courses, access tunnel entrance structures and buildings constructed in the upper parts of the three shafts.

“We have previously carried out Länsimetro civil engineering works in Kivenlahti and Lauttasaari. It’s nice to be involved in projects like this one,” says Juha Tuppurainen, Construction Manager at E.M. Pekkinen Oy.

Kalliorakennus-Yhtiöt Oy is involved in the construction project in the implementation of for example, concrete structures for the depot and all fixed structures, such as station platforms, shafts, stairs and lifts.

“This is an interesting challenge and this new form of cooperation has worked well,” says Jukka Halonen, Managing Director of Kalliorakennus-Yhtiöt Oy.

Aro Systems Oy is responsible for the building services of the depot, including design and implementation of HVAC and electric systems.

“The systems that will be built, such as smoke extraction, lighting and heating, are familiar to us, but the conditions and operating environment are new. An interesting project on the whole,” says Simo Helskä, Building Services Project Manager of Aro Systems Oy.

Further information: 

Ulla Valtonen, Life Cycle and Risk Manager, Sammalvuori Depot Real Estate Development Manager: +358 (0)50 301 4761, ulla.valtonen(at)lansimetro.fi

Jukka Halonen, Managing Director, Kalliorakennus-Yhtiöt Oy: +358 (0)400 201 981, jukka.halonen(at)kalliorakennus.com

Juha Tuppurainen, Construction Manager, E.M. Pekkinen Oy: +358 (0)400 448 842, juha.tuppurainen(at)empekkinen.fi

Simo Helskä, Building Services Project Manager, Aro Systems Oy: +358 (0)10 8356 229, simo.helska(at)arosystems.fi

The commissioning of the west metro has now reached a phase in which HKL has been able to begin its own preparations for the launch of westbound metro services. Commissioning is currently proceeding as planned. According to estimates, metro services to Matinkylä may begin at the end of September at the earliest. 

On 4 September, the Helsinki City Rescue Department gave Länsimetro Oy permission to hand over the Koivusaari and Lauttasaari stations to HKL for preparations related to the start-up of metro services. On 31 August, the Länsi-Uusimaa Department for Rescue Services gave its permission regarding the six stations located in Espoo. The control centre systems released for use by HKL have been tested and it is estimated that they can be fully introduced next week.

HKL’s control room in Herttoniemi will monitor the operations of both the current metro and the west metro section. The purpose of the control centre systems (a total of 10 systems) is to monitor each of the 52 different systems of the west metro, as well as passenger safety, traffic and maintenance operations.  The systems include around 50,000 devices that must be monitored and approximately 27,000 planned annual maintenance and inspection activities. Control centre systems include the following: building technology supervision, HVAC and electric systems, power supply monitoring, a camera system, a public-address system, key control, access control, an emergency phone system and a fire detector system.  In addition, there is a traffic control system for metro trains. These systems can be taken into operational use in various phases of commissioning, for example in accordance with the instructions issued by rescue departments.

The commissioning of the west metro is one of the largest construction project handovers ever performed in Finland. The project has now proceeded from testing and official inspections to the commissioning phase, at the end of which HKL can open the west metro to traffic.  HSL will decide on the starting date for metro traffic when HKL has confirmed how long it will need for preparatory work.  Information on the progress of commissioning will be provided weekly on Fridays.

Further information:

Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 50 593 3359

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

Ville Lehmuskoski, Managing Director, HKL, tel. +358 40 520 6710

Herttoniemen valvomo. Kuva: HKL

EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art celebrated the September 19 unveiling of Emma leaves a trace, a new public artwork by the Finnish sculptor Kim Simonsson at Tapiola’s new subway station. The piece was co-commissioned by EMMA and Länsimetro Oy. The monumental white sculpture is the centrepiece in a multiform ‘total work of art’ filling the subway space. The bronze sculpture is painted completely white except for one colourful hand. Also forming part of the work is a trail of traces reiterating the rainbow hues of the colourful hand, along with a series of digital animations featuring the figure in the sculpture “colouring in” Tapiola. The animations will be screened on digital media panels around Tapiola and on social media platforms.

Public art in subway stations has achieved great worldwide popularity: there are many impressive works around the world that lend a unique visual identity to subway environments. Simonsson – an artist known for his white ceramic sculptures – is the perfect match for the architecture of Tapiola subway station, which is airy and predominantly white. The artist was asked to create a piece breaking new ground in public art: the brief was to create a landmark identifying the subway station and cultural centre of Tapiola  in a multiform artwork assuming various forms beyond just the centrepiece sculpture.

Emma leaves a trace was produced with the kind support of the City of Espoo, the Saastamoinen Foundation and the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.

For further details:

Pilvi Kalhama, Museum Director, EMMA

pilvi.kalhama@emma.museum, p. +358 40 533 4070

Satu Linkola, Communications Manager, Länsimetro project
satu.linkola@lansimetro.fi , p. +358 46 877 3392

Six stations of the west metro’s first phase, i.e. the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä section, were handed over to HKL today to start preparations for the initiation of metro traffic. The aim is to hand over the Helsinki stations next week. The management of the stations and rail line will be handed over from Länsimetro to HKL later in September.

The Länsi-Uusimaa Department for Rescue Services has given Länsimetro Oy permission to hand over the six stations and rail line in Espoo to HKL for preparations to initiate metro traffic. The handover for the two stations in Helsinki is planned to take place next week.

“The handover process for the west metro is now underway and progressing.  HKL can now begin its own preparations for commencing traffic,” says  Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro Oy.

HKL can now begin some of its own service and maintenance operations. Not all the control systems are in operational use yet. In Länsimetro’s estimate, these systems can be gradually transferred to operational use starting from next week.

“HKL will do its best to proceed with the tasks related to the initiation of metro traffic that are possible at this stage,” says Ville Lehmuskoski, Managing Director of HKL.

In HKL’s initial estimate, it will take about four weeks for it to start operational use after the management handover planned for late September.

“Our goal to reduce this preparation period now that we can use the stations. In the current situation, however, HKL cannot commence operations of all the systems, so it is impossible to state the final timetable required for the work. The most crucial factor for the operational use of the west metro infrastructure is when the control systems that function as the metro’s “central nervous system” can be handed over to HKL fully operational,” adds Lehmuskoski.

HKL will need time to start up the various building services and control systems and ensure their undisturbed functioning before starting traffic. Test drives and training metro drivers has been ongoing on the west metro section for a long time now.

“The drivers must familiarise themselves with several systems that are not present in the existing metro, as well as systems that are operationally different from those that were built for the current metro almost 40 years ago. These include the ventilation system of the west metro stations that the existing metro lacks,” remarks Ville Lehmuskoski.

The schedule for HKL to allow metro traffic to commence on the west metro section will be confirmed later.  HSL will decide on the starting date of metro traffic when HKL has confirmed how long it will need for its preparatory work.

Further information:

Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 50 593 359

Ville Lehmuskoski, Managing Director, HKL, tel. +358 40 520 6710.

 

The testing phase of Länsimetro has ended. The last joint system test run, which was used to test the functioning of all systems of the station in emergency situations, was performed at the Matinkylä station during the first week of June. HKL’s test runs were completed in May, and the Länsimetro authority inspection phase has now started and will continue until early August. During the summer, the metro stations and the rail line will be handed over to HKL to maintain.

– According to a previous estimate, metro services could start in September 2017. Time must be reserved for the official inspection phase and any required repairs. This is the largest handing over process for a construction project ever carried out in Finland, states Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Ltd.

The date on which the metro services will begin running will be confirmed in mid-August, after the last authority inspection is completed. Bus traffic will switch to feeder network routes and schedules in mid-August at the earliest. Until then, the South Espoo and Lauttasaari buses will operate on their current routes. HSL will decide when the services begin and when the transfer to feeder traffic is made.

Construction near the metro will continue far into the future.

– Länsimetro’s task has been to build a safe and reliable metro. The metro is an investment that brings new vitality to the entire metropolitan area. The Tapiola area alone has seen and will see the construction of new buildings worth around a billion euros, sums up Olli Isotalo, Chairman of Länsimetro’s Board.

Further information:
Ville Saksi, CEO, Länsimetro, tel. +358 (0)40 823 2086

Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro Ltd, tel. +358 (0)50 593 3359

 

At the beginning of June, Länsimetro will move from the testing phase to the regulatory inspection phase and the handing over of the stations and the rail to HKL will be prepared. After the regulatory inspections and the rectification of any defects discovered during the inspections, the metro can be opened to the public. 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 would operate on the current routes.

Länsimetro’s introduction into use is moving to the regulatory inspection phase. Sufficient time must be set aside for rectifying any defects discovered during inspections.

“Länsimetro is ready to operate as soon as final approval has been received. According to my estimation, metro services will start in September 2017”, states Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy, who is responsible for the construction work.

HKL, who are responsible for operating the metro services, have been performing trial runs on the Länsimetro section during the winter and spring. The trial runs have gone well and will be completed on 14 May 2017.

“The Länsimetro trial runs have been successful and have made it possible to ensure that the metro will also function in various exceptional situations. When it is opened to the public the metro will be reliable and safe”, says Ville Lehmuskoski, CEO of HKL.

After the regulatory inspections have been completed, Länsimetro, HKL and HSL will decide the final start date of metro and feeder services. However, bus feeder traffic will not start when the autumn traffic commences on 14 August 2017. Instead, the South Espoo and Lauttasaari buses will continue to run on the current routes.

“Our basic principle is that passengers’ mobility in South Espoo and Lauttasaari is ensured in all situations”, states Suvi Rihtiniemi, CEO of HSL. “Bus operators also need at least two months to plan traffic and work schedules.”

The metro and current bus routes will operate simultaneously for some time before transferring to feeder traffic. This way, we will gain valuable experience about metro traffic on the Länsimetro section.

Further information:

Ville Saksi, CEO, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 823 2086

Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)50 593 3359

Suvi Rihtniemi, CEO, HSL, tel. +358 (0)50 565 8884

Ville Lehmuskoski, CEO, HKL, tel. +358 (0)40 520 6710

When the traffic on the West Metro line begins, the metro will be a fairly silent affair, as revealed by the measurements of Akukon Oy, the company responsible for the noise abatement designs of the metro. Akukon has measured in the buildings near the metro line the so-called structure-borne noise, i.e. the noise of the metro train transmitted through the bedrock. Without noise abatement, the sound of the metro train passing underground could be heard as a booming sound in nearby buildings.

Control measurements performed late last year and early this year show that the noise insulation designed by Akukon are functioning everywhere the way they should – up to the point where the metro noise actually remains significantly below recommended values. In practice, the noise made by the metro cannot be heard in the buildings above the metro line, and even in silent spaces, they cannot be distinguished from other background noise.

The check-ups involved four different locations, representing all materials used in the insulation of the structure-borne noise of the metro. The measurement locations were purposefully selected among those with the potentially highest noise levels: houses directly above the rail on the crest of the rock or from rocky areas. Measurements were always performed at the lowest floor of each building.

“We have succeeded with the design, material choices and building of the West Metro in that the noise of the metro will not disturb people living or working in the area,” says Timo Peltonen, Technical Director at Akukon Oy.

Noise abatement was designed combining empirical professional knowledge gathered over decades and computer-assisted 3D modelling. This made it possible to predict which houses and areas could be the most exposed to structure-borne noise and to choose suitable materials for noise abatement.

Steel rails are now resting on a bed of macadam and noise insulation. A mat under the macadam helps to absorb the vibration travelling from the tracks to the bedrock. The noise insulation has been installed throughout the West Metro line excluding sections that pass under the sea or the Länsiväylä motorway, as it is not needed there.

Further information: Timo Peltonen, Technical Director, Akukon Oy: tel. +358 50 584 9814
timo.peltonen@akukon.fi

 

 

The forecast of the total expenditure of the West Metro projects amounts to EUR 1,186 million. Länsimetro Oy will need an increase of a total of EUR 104 million for the loan guarantee, to be granted by the City of Espoo and the City of Helsinki. Furthermore, the Board of Länsimetro Oy today appointed civil engineer Ville Saksi the new Managing Director of the company.

The cost of construction will rise from EUR 1,088 million to EUR 1,154 million. The indexed budget for construction work under the project, taking the entire scope of the project plan (2008) into account, amounts to EUR 849 million (with the project plan covering EUR 714 million, to which an index increase of EUR 135 million must be added). The forecast was raised by an increase in the number of units and the fact that the construction took longer than anticipated and by other similar factors. Furthermore, the new forecast takes account of various needs, including the need of spare parts and the facility services, which must be in place before traffic is initiated. Building contracts under the project have been implemented in a form know as the unit price contract between 2013 and 2016. Changes to the scope of construction, due to, for example, official regulations, led to an increase in the number of units under construction contracts. The sum of the final cost will be available only after the construction is complete.

Central to the cost increase under the project plan have been contracts that turned out to be more difficult than expected, changes to construction regulations, and an increase in space requirements, including technical facilities, smoke extraction and the requirements for accessibility at the both entrances of the stations.

The total cost of the project amounts to EUR 1,186 million. The total cost includes a contingency amounting to EUR 32 million. The government subsidy is EUR 249 million.

In connection with the West Metro project, the Niittykumpu station, the Matinkylä terminal and the western entrance to the Matinkylä station will also be constructed, in accordance with a separate decision made by the Espoo City Council. The cost forecast for this amounts to EUR 80 million.

As the estimated cost keeps going up, the project management needs to apply for an additional guarantee both from the City of Espoo and the City of Helsinki. The need for additional funding will be brought before the councils of both cities. Additional funding seeks to take account of all possible expenses in order to ensure that construction can be completed before traffic is initiated.

On 14 November, the Board of Länsimetro Oy decided that civil engineer Ville Saksi be appointed the new MD of the company. He will immediately begin in his new post. Previously, Ville Saksi was the MD of VR Track Oy.

The schedule for the opening of West Metro to traffic will be finished as soon as the joint testing of three stations is completed by the turn of November and December. The joint testing of the Aalto University station has been completed.  The joint testing of the Tapiola and Keilaniemi is about to start. After this, joint testing will continue at the Koivusaari, Lauttasaari, Urheilupuisto, Niittykumpu and Matinkylä stations.