Construction began in 2009
Metro traffic started in Helsinki in 1982 with the Rautatientori–Itäkeskus connection. After this, the metro network has been extended in several stages with the connections to Ruoholahti and Vuosaari completed in 1993 and 1998, respectively. The newest station in Kalasatama opened in 2007.
Construction of the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä section began in 2009
The planning work on the first phase of the west metro started in March 2007 in accordance with the decisions made by the Espoo City Council and the Helsinki City Board in 2006. The decisions to build the west metro were made by the Espoo City Council on 19 May 2008 and the Helsinki City Council on 21 May 2008. The Espoo City Council approved the underground metro plans in January 2009. Construction in Espoo was delayed by over a year due to appeals made on the plans for underground metro tunnels and stations; the Supreme Administrative Court overruled the appeals in February 2010.
The Helsinki City Council discussed the matter in November, and the plan became in effect in December 2009. There is an existing underground plan from Ruoholahti to Salmisaari, which made it possible to start the construction of the west metro. In Lauttasaari, the work was started by the excavation of access tunnels in the summer of 2010. Construction started in Espoo on 31 May 2010.
From Matinkylä to Kivenlahti
A preliminary general plan on the metro extension from Matinkylä to Kivenlahti was completed in the spring of 2011. The preparation of the project plan started in September 2011, and it was completed in May 2012. In the summer of 2012, the Espoo City Council approved the project plan on the extension of the west metro from Matinkylä to Kivenlahti. Based on an agreement on plot allotment, the Government has the readiness to participate in the construction of the west metro until the planned end of the line in Kivenlahti so that the Government’s share of the project costs is EUR 240 million at the most, and it will be due for payment in 2017 at the earliest. (Source: Finnish Government, www.vn.fi 19 June 2014). At its meeting on 29 September 2014, the City Council of Espoo decided to issue an absolute guarantee for the loans that finance the City of Espoo’s share in the construction of the west metro line between Matinkylä and Kivenlahti. At the same time, it was decided that Länsimetro Oy shall be responsible for the line’s construction.
Timeline of the first phase of the west metro
2006 Decision on the automation of Helsinki metro traffic was made
2008 West metro project plan was made
2008 Espoo City Council made the decision to build the west metro on 19th of May
2008 Helsinki City Council made the decision to build the west metro on 21st of May
2009 Work was started by the excavation of access tunnels in Ruoholahti
2010 Excavation began in Espoo after all the complaints had been processed accordingly
2013 Construction work began
2014 Excavations come to an end
2016 Testing period
2017 West metro traffic will begin