PROJECT FOR RENOVATING THE KIRJALANSALMI AND HESSUNDINSALMI BRIDGES ALONG HIGHWAY 180 – ONE OF THE MOST DEMANDING BRIDGE PROJECTS IN FINLAND

The project for renovating the Kirjalansalmi and Hessundinsalmi bridges along highway 180 is the largest project in Kreate’s history, where we are building the Kirjalansalmi and Hessundinsalmi bridges in a technically demanding project in Parainen. In addition to the bridges, we are improving the condition of highway 180 and the junction arrangements. The project will be executed as a partnership alliance with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, and it started with the development stage in October 2021 and moved to the implementation stage in September 2022.

The largest individual construction sites in the project are the two different bridges that cross straits along Saaristotie. A 600-metre cable-stayed bridge will be built across Kirjalansalmi strait; once completed, it will be Finland’s longest road bridge by main span. A 200-metre long frame bridge with inclined legs will be built across the Hessundinsalmi strait. The allowed underpass height for the waterway for both bridges is 16 metres. The bridges will be built with an effective width of 16.25 metres, which will also substantially improve the walking and bicycling connections along Saaristotie.

The overall condition of highway 180 and junction arrangements will also be improved in the project area; this includes improving two underpasses for bicycling and pedestrian traffic – Valoniemi and Ekbacka – and building the Kalakoulu overbridge. The project also includes the construction of new acoustic screening.

Saaristotie is the only road connection to Parainen and the Turunmaa archipelago, which means that renovating the bridges and improving the highway and junctions have a significant impact on the town of Parainen and its residents as well as the business life in the archipelago. The project also improves traffic safety and comfort of living.

The alliance model is well suited for executing a technically challenging project such as this, where Kreate and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency cooperate closely. It has offered the opportunity to brainstorm solutions together and helped to achieve a shared vision of the best and most cost-efficient manner of execution. For example, the sharp increase in material costs was met with solutions that allowed the project to be started with a cost estimate in accordance with the original execution decision.

The construction of the Kirjalansalmi and Hessundinsalmi bridges reinforces Kreate’s market leadership in bridge construction: With this project, we are simultaneously building the two largest cable-stayed bridges in Finland which are the Kirjalansalmi bridge in Parainen and Kruunuvuorensilta in Helsinki.

The total cost of the bridge project is approximately EUR 128 million, and it will be constructed between 2022 and 2026.