In this bridge project located above Highway 4 (Vt 4), we are constructing a new Lehmisuo underpass bridge, dismantling the old bridge, and executing track superstructure, electrification, and safety system works with Kreate’s railway specialists. The project, implemented using the relocation method, is situated in Haukipudas, Oulu, on the railway section between Oulu and Laurila. The single-track and electrified railway bridge crosses the heavily trafficked highway diagonally, adding to the project’s complexity.
During spring and early summer 2025, we will conduct thorough pre-planning for constructing the new bridge and dismantling the old one, including plans for six relocation tracks along which the new bridge will be moved, as well as plans for scaffolding and formwork. The loose soil and fractured bedrock present additional challenges, so we will also inject the bridge’s substructures as needed.
Our multi-phase contract culminates in a 48-hour rail traffic interruption for passenger and freight trains in October 2025. Following a minute-by-minute schedule, we will first jack the old prestressed concrete continuous beam bridge off its current position and dismantle it atop the relocation tracks. Within the same tight time window, our professionals will jack the new through girder bridge – measuring 97,5 meters in length and weighing up to 3600 tons – over Highway 4. The new bridge is among the longest and heaviest relocated bridges in both Kreate’s demanding bridge construction history and in Finland’s overall context.
At the bridge site, there are two lanes heading north and one lane heading south. Thanks to the relocation method, traffic disruptions during construction will be minimal for both the busy rail traffic and the approximately 10 000 vehicles passing under the bridge daily. During the bridge construction, we will implement traffic arrangements that enable a safe detour for highway drivers during the challenging relocation phase. While constructing the new bridge, we are also preparing for the expansion of the highway to four lanes.
The demolition concrete and steel structures from the old bridge generated during the contract will be delivered for reuse.
The renewal of the Lehmisuo underpass bridge is part of the Oulu-Laurila planning project, which is included in the European Union’s defined core transport network, the TEN-T network. The project has received EU MilMob funding.
The project, commissioned by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, is scheduled from April 2025 to June 2026.
Kreate is a veteran in bridge relocation contracts; for instance, in 2022, we executed three bridge relocation contracts, and in 2021, a record six bridge relocations, five of which were on the national railway network and one on the Helsinki metro network.
