Construction projects affecting traffic in the city centre are on schedule
In the city centre area, several major changes will be implemented as the extension of the tramway to Pirkkala and Linnainmaa, the renewal of the Tampere railway station area, the renovation of Puutarhakatu and Aleksis Kiven katu and the renovation of Paasikivenkatu are progressing as planned. The first tram rails have been installed on Hatanpää highway and decks have been cast for the most important bridges.
– After the construction of the Hämeenkatu tramway, 2025 has been the most exceptional year for traffic in the city centre. This time too, the people of Tampere have shown their ability to adapt to the exceptional arrangements and work has progressed as planned. Despite the construction sites, the city centre is still accessible by all modes of transport, says Milko Tietäväinen, Director of Construction for the City of Tampere.
Traffic in the city centre has flown mostly like normal, except for peak commuter times. Feedback on projects has been responded to where possible and the worst problems have been mitigated. Exceptionally, traffic was particularly congested during the European Basketball Championships, but the traffic closures caused by this major event were quickly reviewed and traffic returned to normal the following day.
– The combined impact of the projects on traffic has been assessed and efforts have been made to minimise the adverse effects: for example, the extension of the tram network and the renovation of the Tampere railway station area significantly impact on the conditions for the development of the city and therefore there has been no desire to delay them for different times, adds Mikko Nurminen, Director of the Urban Environment and Infrastructure Services.
Several street works will be completed in 2026
The work is progressing on schedule for all mentioned sites. This means that in 2026, people in Tampere will be able to cross the renovated Erkkilä bridge and enjoy improved cycling and walking conditions on Puutarhakatu and Paasikivenkatu. Work on Aleksis Kivi Street and Satakunnankatu will also be completed during 2026.
Puutarhakatu will be opened to through traffic during the winter
During the summer of 2025, the water and sewer pipes on Puutarhakatu were replaced, district cooling pipes built and district heating pipes renovated. At the same time, the pavement has been improved and rock has been excavated to make way for the pipelines. In addition, underground electricity cables and telecoms networks have been upgraded and street lighting has been replaced. As part of the renovation work, the housing associations have had damp proofing carried out on the foundation walls.
During the rest of the year, all underground piping and street lighting will be completed. The first layer of will be asphalted, and some of the pavements will receive new tiles and kerbs. During the winter break, Puutarhakatu will be reopened to through traffic. Surface works will continue in the spring and the entire street reconstruction will be completed during 2026.
Work on Aleksis Kiven katu in the home stretch, traffic will return to normal by the end of the year
Progress has been made on Aleksis Kiven katu with the construction of the drainage structures and retaining wall. Cable ducts have been added, kerbs and natural stone paving have been installed. The carriageway has already been partially paved, and asphalting, street and traffic lights and concrete paving will be completed during the rest of the year. Traffic will return to normal by the end of the year. The remaining paving work on Satakunnankatu will be completed in summer 2026.
No changes to traffic on Paasikivenkatu for the rest of the year
On Paasikivenkatu, a new pedestrian crossing between Sepänkatu and the new Särkänniemi junction has been built during the autumn, together with the new road lanes in accordance with the new alignment.
In early November, a lane closure lasting a few weeks ended, after which one lane in each direction is now available for vehicle traffic. There are currently no known changes affecting traffic for the rest of the year.
Next year, work will continue with district heating and surface works, and the Paasikivenkatu project will be completed in autumn 2026. Greening works will continue until spring 2027, but will not affect vehicle traffic.
Tramway construction is progressing as planned
The Tampere Tramway route is currently being extended towards Pirkkala and Linnainmaa.
– In the first year, our work has focused on municipal engineering: we have renewed and relocated water supply and sewer lines for example, as well as cable routes in the area of the future tram line. In the autumn, we were able to start laying the rails and completed the first sections of street in Härmälä and Partola. The bridge renewal work is also progressing well on the bridges in Viinikanlahti, Vihilahti and Härmälänoja, says Sari Valjus, Project Manager of the Pirkkala-Linnainmaa Alliance of the Tampere Tramway.
Tramway rails have been installed at the intersection of Hatanpää highway and Tampere highway, at Nuolialanantie in Härmälä and in the Tays area in Kaupinlaakso. During the rest of the year, tramway rails will also be built in Härmälänranta.
On the Hatanpää highway, track work will next move towards Sori Square, which is why the roundabout on the Hatanpää and Tampere highways has been reduced. The crossing area will be rearranged as the work progresses. The capacity of the Hatanpää highway and the effects of the pedestrian crossing ban will also be monitored in cooperation between the Pirkkala-Linnainmaa Alliance and the City of Tampere.
During the late autumn, construction of streets, tracks and bridges will continue throughout the construction area. There will be some changes to the access routes this year, particularly in Hatanpää and Härmälä, as work progresses in new areas. Access to properties, businesses and services will be ensured at all stages.
Major bridge works completed in the Tampere railway station area
During the summer and autumn, work on the Tampere railway station area has progressed on schedule. The completion of the carriage maintenance area during the construction of Perkiö was completed in July, allowing other works on the yard to proceed. At Naistenlahti, the first phase of excavations have been completed and the modifications to the passenger tunnel are progressing.
Important milestones in the bridge work were reached during the autumn with the successful casting of the decks of the Erkkilä and Ratapihankatu bridges. Minor changes to traffic arrangements are still expected at the turn of November and December, when the underpass at Itsenäisyydenkatu will have to be closed for a while due to the bridge's moulding work. The closure will start on Saturday 29 November at 9 am and end on Monday 1 December at 5 am. The tram will run normally during the closure. In addition, the car train station will open on 15 December and will not be closed again for the project.
The next major work phases of the project and possible changes to traffic arrangements will take place in spring 2026.
Major projects will continue, no new projects of the same scale are foreseen for 2026
At the underpass at Itsenäisyydenkatu and the roundabout at the tramway construction site at the junction of the Hatanpää and Tampere highways, exceptional arrangements are expected even after next year. However, in major projects, traffic arrangements will remain largely unchanged for as long as possible, in order to keep the impact on everyday traffic flow at a moderate level.
Projects starting in 2026 will be announced separately once they are confirmed in early 2026. Based on current information, it is not expected that projects with the same scale of impact as in 2025 will be announced.
– Although the changing routes have become well known, traffic now and in the coming years will continue to require both anticipation and patience. In the future, the extension of the tramway, improvements to the railway station area and new walking and cycling routes will create a more functional and accessible city centre. Our city has seen big changes before and the end result has been worth the wait, says Nurminen.
The main developer of the Puutarhakatu and Aleksis Kiven katu project is the City of Tampere. Tampereen Vesi Oy, Tampereen Energia Oy, Tampereen Energia Sähköverkko Oy and telecom operators are also involved. Tampereen Infra Oy is the main contractor for the project.
The Paasikivenkatu renovation is being built by the City of Tampere. The contractor is Ylöjärven Kiviset Oy.
The construction of the Tampere railway station area will be carried out by an alliance of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency and Kreate Oy. In addition to Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the City of Tampere, Fintraffic Raide Oy and VR Group Plc are the contractors for the project under separate agreements.
The Pirkkala-Linnainmaa alliance of Tampere Tramway is planning and building a tramway between Linnainmaa in Tampere and Suuppa in Pirkkala. The alliance consists of Tampere Tramway Ltd, the City of Tampere, the municipality of Pirkkala, AFRY Finland Oy, Sweco Finland Oy, NRC Group Finland Oy and YIT Infra Oy.
