HKL: After Matinkylä phase, Helsinki metro should be extended to neighbouring Sipoo

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The possible incorporation of the southwestern part of Sipoo into Helsinki has brought about a slight shift of emphasis to the extension plans of the capital area metro system. Well, at least in Helsinki it has.
      The HKL (Helsinki City Transport) managing director Matti Lahdenranta proposes that after the completion of the western Ruoholahti-Matinkylä stretch the metro network be extended eastwards, instead of continuing from Matinkylä to Kivenlahti in the west as was previously thought.
      Lahdenranta believes that the southwestern parts of Sipoo, presumably soon to be attached to Helsinki, could be reached by metro by 2017.
      "From the Helsinki point of view, the priorities are straightforward. The planning of the metro extension to Sipoo will commence as soon as the incorporating of the Sipoo areas into Helsinki has been confirmed."
      The lawfulness of the annexation, already approved by the Finnish government, is yet to be decided by the Supreme Administrative Court later this year.
     
Currently there are plans for no less than three further metro extensions on the drawing board, after the completion of phase one, the Matinkylä extension of the western metro.
      There are plans to extend the network from Matinkylä all the way to Kivenlahti in western Espoo, from Helsinki’s Mellunmäki to the annexed Sipoo areas in the east, and from central Helsinki north to Pasila via Töölö, and possibly all the way to Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.
      According to Lahdenranta, of these the Sipoo option is the most important one, as the construction of new residential areas there leans heavily on the metro extension.
      "Certainly Espoo would gladly like to see further extensions to the western metro after the completion of the first phase, but I am sure an agreement of prioritising can be reached between the government and the capital area communities", Lahdenranta says.
      "Besides, Espoo and the coastal area of Helsinki already have functioning traffic arrangements, so a couple of year’s delay to their metro extension plans would hardly cause undue problems."
     
The capital area does not have the resources to start building several metro line extensions simultaneously. The eastern extension is the cheapest option, as it will run above the ground.
      "Constructing a tunnel costs EUR 20-30 million per kilometre and an underground station costs around EUR 30 million. Above ground the corresponding figures are EUR 20 million and 10 million."
      The entire budget for the eastern extension from Mellunmäki, involving around 6km of track and three or four stations, would be in the region of EUR 150 million.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Espoo City Council votes in favour of extension of Helsinki Metro (26.9.2006)
  Helsinki administration demand rules in negotiations with Sipoo (19.9.2006)
  In 25 years, Helsinki residents have learned to love their Metro (7.8.2007)
  PM Vanhanen disqualifies himself from decision making on Sipoo border change (12.6.2007)

Links:
  HKL: Helsinki Metro

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