We are implementing a highly demanding underpass construction project in Lehmisuo, Oulu using the transfer method

In the bridge project located above Highway 4, we will build a new Lehmisuo underpass bridge, demolish the old bridge, and carry out track superstructure, electric track, and safety equipment work in collaboration with Kreate’s track engineers. The project, which will be carried out using the transfer method, is located in Haukipudas, Oulu, on the railway section between Oulu and Laurila. The single-track, electrified railway bridge crosses a very busy highway at an angle, which adds to the challenge of the project.

During the spring and early summer of 2025, we will carry out careful advance planning for the construction of the new bridge and the demolition of the old bridge, including plans for six transfer tracks along which the new bridge will be moved, as well as plans for scaffolding and formwork. During the preparatory work, we will drill piles, build retaining walls, and carry out the transfer tracks and scaffolding and formwork work. Loose soil and broken rock pose their own challenges, so we will also inject the bridge substructures if necessary.

Our multi-stage project will culminate in a 48-hour suspension of passenger and freight rail traffic in October 2025. Working to a minute-by-minute schedule, we will first remove the old prestressed concrete continuous beam bridge from its current location by jacking it up and dismantling it on top of the transfer tracks. Within the same tight time frame, our professionals will move the new trough girder bridge, which is 97.5 metres long and weighs up to 3,600 tonnes, by jacking it above Highway 4. The new bridge is one of the longest and heaviest movable bridges ever built, both in Kreate’s demanding bridge construction history and on a national scale in Finland.

The bridge has two lanes to the north and one lane to the south. Thanks to the transfer method, traffic disruptions during construction will be minimal for both busy train traffic and the approximately 10,000 vehicles that pass under the bridge each day. During the construction of the bridge, we will implement traffic arrangements that will enable a safe detour route for motorway users during the challenging transfer phase. When building the new bridge, we are also preparing for the expansion of the motorway to four lanes.

We will deliver the concrete and steel structures from the old bridge that will be demolished during the project for reuse.

The renovation of the Lehmisuo underpass is part of the Oulu–Laurila planning project, which is part of the European Union’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The project has received MilMob funding from the EU.

The project, commissioned by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, will run from April 2025 to June 2026.

Kreate is an expert in movable bridge projects. In 2022, for example, we carried out three bridge relocation projects, and in 2021 we carried out a record six bridge relocations, five of which were on the national rail network and one on the Helsinki metro network.