Arkadiankatu bridge in the city centre to be renovated in 2026

The bridge renovation has been planned in cooperation with experts from the Helsinki City Museum. The external changes to the bridge will be minor and the appearance of the bridge and the stone walls of the former railway tunnel will be preserved. The new bridge will look the same as the existing bridge.

Route changes in 2026

Traffic on the bridge will be diverted to detours for the duration of the renovation. The tramway will run along Fredrikinkatu and Simonkatu instead of Arkadiankatu. A temporary bridge over Baana will be built for pedestrians.

The Baana route underneath the bridge is expected to remain open for most of the renovation’s duration, with some minor exceptions.

More details will be shared about the detours once the contractor has been selected in December 2025. Driving connections to the Kamppi bus terminals will remain open, but the routes will be altered slightly.

100-year lifespan for the new bridge

The bridge crossing the former harbour railway tunnel and the current Baana routes dates back to 1924. The bridge is being renovated due to its poor condition. Using the bridge is safe until the renovation starts. The City has studied the condition of its bridges over a long period of time and renovates or replaces bridges in poor condition every year. The new bridge should have a life expectancy of 100 years.