Renovation of the Kiilinkatu Underpass as Part of the Luumäki-Imatra Project

Kreate is renovating the Kiilinkatu underpass as part of the Luumäki–Imatra rail project. The new bridge to be built is designed as a two-track bridge. The project also includes road construction work on Kiilinkatu. Work began on-site by closing Kiilinkatu to vehicular traffic at the bridge site and by constructing a temporary pedestrian and bicycle path for the duration of the project.

The bridge will be built next to the existing bridge, about 20 meters away. The existing bridge will be demolished, and the new bridge will be moved into place during a 72-hour total shutdown. Kiilinkatu will be completely closed to traffic for preparatory work related to the relocation. The bridge will be built on a ground-supported foundation, which means that earthwork will play a significant role in the project. The longer detour also allows pedestrians and cyclists to travel safely along the route that runs under the old bridge for almost the entire duration of the project.

The most difficult stages of the work are concentrated during the total outage. During the closure, the tracks and track superstructure will be dismantled along the necessary section, the old bridge will be demolished, temporary tracks for the new bridge will be built, the new bridge will be moved into place, and the track will be rebuilt. For the work to be successful, it requires good and clear coordination so that the work phases proceed efficiently and safely without interruption. Construction began in June 2026, and Kiilinkatu will open to traffic in October 2026. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is the client for the project.