New No.9 tram route may expand south after all

Korkeavuorenkatu seen by some as too narrow for tram traffic

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Helsinki's first new tram route for several years, the No.9 (see weekly article from August 12th) was originally meant to run from Pasila in the north right down to the seashore at Merikatu.
      However, seven years ago, the venture foundered following protests from local residents and businesses in the southernmost quarters of the city, who argued that a tram-line would be too great a hindrance to roadside parking.
     
Now the City of Helsinki is taking another look at continuing the just-opened line from its present terminus in Erottaja all the way down through Ullanlinna to Merikatu in Eira.
      Helsinki City Transport (HKL) is putting forward a plan that would involve taking a smaller bite out of the already limited space on the streets: for example the two lines going north and south would not be placed in parallel along the full length of Korkeavuorenkatu, but would in places merge into a single track.
      This could resolve some of the issues over lost parking space raised by local traders.
     
Some of the earlier objections to the tram-route may have been tempered by the fact that now that it has opened, bus services that once ran the full length of the route are suddenly truncated, leaving those in the far south of the city without direct public transport access to the centre.
      A case in point is the old No.17 bus, which formerly ran from Merikatu to Pasila via the city centre.
      The guiding idea of a new tram-line was to reduce bus traffic - seen as less environmentally-friendly - and it has done just this. The northern section of the old 17 bus has been replaced by the tram, but the southern part has not. And residents are a little piqued, which might make them more amenable to an extension of the tracks.
     
HKL would not be particularly interested in extending the line into the southern quarters of the city simply for the local residents and those working down there. There are not enough of them.
      But the area also fronts the sea, and a good many Helsinki residents would appreciate the access to the shoreline for recreational purposes.
      There is one further attraction: it is planned in the future to build a tram-line to the new residential developments on Hernesaari, as and when the West Harbour moves away eastwards to the purpose-built port in Vuosaari.
      It is only around 500 metres from Merikatu to the beginning of Hernesaari, and the logistical benefits are obvious.
     
A new overall plan for the capital's tram network will be completed in the autumn.
      The fate of the proposed southern extension to the 9-tram will probably be decided by the new City Council that meets after the fall's municipal elections.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Road construction will affect traffic in central Helsinki throughout summer (19.5.2008)
  New tram line runs from Pasila to Kaartinkaupunki (12.8.2008)

Links:
  Helsinki City Transport (HKL)

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