Building work on Western Metro gets under way in Espoo

The construction of the much-debated extension westwards into Espoo of the Helsinki Metro was finally initiated in Espoo on Tuesday.
      The building project started with ground-breaking and earthmoving work related to the southern access tunnel near the Tapiola shopping centre.
      Towards the end of the summer, the earthworking at the eastern access tunnel in the Tapionaukio Square will also begin.
      The access tunnels are scheduled for completion next spring. After that work will continue with the excavation of the actual metro tunnel.
     
The development of the Western Metro will commence also elsewhere in Espoo during the course of the summer.
      In July, access tunnel excavation work will kick off in Karhusaari, Keilaniemi, and Otaniemi.
     
The Western Metro is scheduled for completion by the end of 2015.
      Last week it was announced that the earlier scheduled date of late 2014 had had to be revised owing to complaints over zoning and certain technical issues.
      When it opens, the Western Metro line will initally run from the present terminus station at Ruoholahti, passing through the Helsinki suburb of Lauttasaari via Keilaniemi and Otaniemi to Tapiola, and thence on to Matinkylä.
      A further extension is on the table, as far as Espoonlahti, but no firm decision has been made on when this would get under way.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Espoo City Council approves Metro extension (20.5.2008)
  Despite extension of Helsinki Metro, Espoo traffic is likely to increase by 20 per cent by 2015 (28.2.2008)
  Espoo extension of Helsinki Metro could still hinge on state subsidy (18.2.2008)
  Tunnelling for Metro extension to begin in summer (5.3.2010)
  Helsinki Administrative Court dismisses all complaints against Western Metro (15.10.2009)
  Espoo town councillors press for western metro undertaking despite dramatically increased cost estimate (22.1.2008)

Links:
  Länsimetro - Western Metro
  Western Metro (Wikipedia)