Metro stations in eastern Helsinki to receive EUR 8.5 million facelift

Kontula station gets new escalators to alleviate congestion during rush hour

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The metro stations in the eastern suburbs of Helsinki are hopelessly outdated. The stations that were originally built on a tight budget are poorly equipped and far too small.
      The stairways leading to and from Kontula and Itäkeskus metro stations, for one, are real bottlenecks. During the rush hour, two-way traffic on the narrow stairs is often impossible.
      Fortunately, the situation is about to change. The problems will be first tackled at the Kontula station. In July-August, a construction crew will begin a EUR 4 million renovation of the station that will take a year to complete.
     
The Helsinki City Transport Committee decided on the renovation in their Thursday meeting. Other eastern problem stations - Herttoniemi, Myllypuro, and Itäkeskus - still wait for their turn.
      Updating of these stations may begin as early as 2007-2008.
      The biggest problem with the stations is the lack of escalators directing the flow of people. During the rush hour, the situation in the stairways is nothing short of chaotic, as people rushing in and out of the station barge against each other.
     
The Kontula station is a typical example. Every day 20,000 people pass through the station, yet its main entrance lacks escalators.
      The plan is to provide the eastern main entrance with two up escalators and one down escalator. Furthermore, the station will get a general facelift, including a wider ticket hall, renewed tiling, and improved lighting.
      The Helsinki City Transport (HKL) will be primarily responsible for the outlay, although there are plans to cover some of the expenses from the City of Helsinki Neighbourhood Fund as well.
     
Updating of some of the other eastern metro stations is also on the table. The Itäkeskus station, for one, is a logistical nightmare.
      From the eastern platform there is only one escalator and a narrow stairwell leading to the largest shopping centre in the Nordic region. Some 46,000 commuters travel through the station every day.
      Similar problems are hampering passengers at the Myllypuro and Herttoniemi stations as well, the latter of which is used by about 36,000 people daily.
      The metro stations in Eastern Helsinki were originally constructed on a shoestring budget in the late 1970s and the metro system opened in 1982. Escalators and lifts that were then thought to be too expensive were left out of the plans. Now, an estimated EUR 8.5 million will have to be spent to rectify the situation.


Links:
  Helsinki City Transport
  Helsinki Metro (Wikipedia)

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