Mt 180 Kurkela–Kuusisto project enters implementation phase – Kreate’s order book strengthens by approximately EUR 78 million

Kreate and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency have agreed to move on to the implementation phase of the Mt 180 Kurkela–Kuusisto project, which means that one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Southwest Finland will now begin on a large scale. The plans and solutions refined during the development phase will bring efficiency to the project, which will strengthen road connections between Kaarina and the Turunmaa archipelago and support sustainable growth throughout the region. Kreate records a contract value of nearly €78 million in its order book for the first quarter.

Construction of the Mt 180 Kurkela–Kuusisto project will begin in earnest in mid-March, when the development and design phase will transition to actual implementation. To date, preparatory work has been carried out on the project, such as the construction of a work bridge and tree felling.

“We have gone through a very intense development phase, but we are now moving forward with the implementation phase according to schedule. Special thanks to the client for their excellent cooperation, as well as to the road and bridge designers, who completed the plans within a tight schedule,” says project manager Ville Lehtonen from Kreate.

Ramboll Finland Oy and WSP Finland Oy are acting as road and bridge designers for the project. Cooperation with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, which is acting as the client, has also gone well in this project, which is strategically at the heart of Kreate’s activities.

“We utilize a wide range of construction types and the expertise of our units in the construction of the project. The Kurkela–Kuusisto project is technically challenging and has a very tight schedule. Good and close cooperation with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency has enabled solutions where quality, technical expertise, and cost-effectiveness go hand in hand,” says Timo Vikström, CEO of Kreate Group.

Solutions to increase efficiency were found during the development phase.

During the development phase, the design was refined and solutions were optimized extensively. The aim was to find more cost-effective construction solutions and improve the mass balance of the project while taking environmental impacts into account.

“Our goal was to divert as few people as possible away from the project. We decided to utilize the quarry in Kuusisto for mass replacement on the Kaarina side, which improves the mass balance of the project, minimizes the amount of material transported out, and at the same time reduces carbon dioxide emissions from transportation,” Lehtonen explains.

The project faces exceptionally challenging ground conditions, as the soil at the Kaarina end is extremely soft, while construction on the Kuusisto side is taking place on rock. During the development phase, the length of the Auvaisberg bridge was also shortened, the road alignment was optimized, and the foundation methods were developed. During the design phase, the steel beams planned for the Auvaisberg bridge were also replaced with a concrete structure.

There are only a few meters left to complete the work bridge, and Kreate’s goal is to start building the Auvaisberg bridge after mid-March. The work will begin with pile drilling and the construction of caissons so that Kreate can build the underwater structures for the intermediate supports.

With rigorous construction, the route will be open to traffic as early as November 2027.

As part of the Mt 180 Kurkela–Kuusisto project, Kreate is constructing approximately 3.5 kilometers of new highway and upgrading Kurkelantie to a dual carriageway with four lanes over a stretch of approximately 1.3 kilometers. In addition, the project involves the construction or renovation of nine bridges, the largest of which is the Auvaisberg bridge spanning Kuusistonsalmi. The new road solution connects to National Road 1, which leads to Helsinki in the east, and to the Kaarina bypass in the west, near the Kirjalansalmi bridge previously built by Kreate.

“We have already built a temporary bridge for the construction of the Auvaisberg bridge, which will be completed in March. Drilled pile foundations, which are used as a foundation solution, will also begin at the same time,” Lehtonen says.

During 2026, Kreate will carry out most of the excavation work and begin cutting through the embankments on the Kaarina side so that the road structures and lane widening can be implemented. Information about traffic arrangements will be provided separately, and updates on blasting operations and changes to the construction site will be shared via the project’s WhatsApp channel.

The goal is to open the road and bridges to traffic in November 2027.