Largest street and park renovations in Helsinki in 2025. Photo: City of Helsinki
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Helsinki will carry out around 200 new street and park renovations in 2025, with the largest set to begin on Mäkelänkatu in Vallila in the autumn.
The Mäkelänkatu project, which covers the section between Hämeentie and Kumpulantie, is the city’s most significant new construction site this year. The renovation will upgrade underground utilities and reshape traffic arrangements. Work is expected to begin in October or November and will take approximately two years.
According to Liisa Taskila, Unit Manager at the City of Helsinki, most of the planned works are smaller in scale but form part of a broader infrastructure improvement programme.
“The capital is growing, and its underground infrastructure is ageing. Renovation is necessary to ensure functioning utilities and traffic,” Taskila said.
The city has adjusted the timetable of other projects to avoid overlapping construction. The planned overhaul of Linnanrakentajantie in Herttoniemi has been postponed to 2028–2029 to ensure the nearby Junatie metro bridge is renovated first.
The long-running Mannerheimintie renovation is progressing as planned and will be completed in Taka-Töölö by the end of 2025. The project has replaced water pipes dating back to the early 1900s with infrastructure expected to last a century.
Pihla Kuokkanen, another unit manager at the City, said the overlapping of large-scale projects is avoided through careful planning. “When Mäkelänkatu starts, Mannerheimintie will be nearly finished,” she noted.
Work will also continue on Aleksis Kiven katu until late 2026, while the Jätkäsaari bridge renovation will temporarily divert traffic onto a sea embankment this autumn. That project is also due for completion in late 2026.
The Crown Bridges Light Rail project continues on schedule. The new pedestrian and cyclist bridge linking Merihaka and Kalasatama is set to open in summer. Construction on the Laajasalo side is nearly complete. Work on the Siltasaarenkatu junction in Hakaniemi will continue until November.
Several public parks are undergoing renewal. In Katajanokka, the Tove Jansson Park renovation continues, with a themed playground inspired by a “mystical marine world” planned to open in spring 2026, in time for the 80th anniversary of the Moomins.
Kaisaniemi Park’s upgrade is also progressing. The entrance to the Botanic Garden will be completed in June, followed by new play and fitness areas. The full project will finish in 2026, with the beach wall and adjacent walking route due by 2028.
In Taka-Töölö, the eastern section of Sibelius Park is being updated, completing a broader park overhaul by November. Meanwhile, the Kalevala-themed renovation of Kimmonpuisto Park in Käpylä will begin this year and continue in 2028–2029.
Other key works in 2025
Several smaller but critical projects will be launched across the city. These include:
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Porkkalankatu and Selkämerenkatu upgrades in Ruoholahti, improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists
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Repairs to the Hopeasalmentie Bridge in Kulosaari
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Renovation of streets near the Kamppi Health and Well-being Centre
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Restoration of Makasiini Quay structures in the South Harbour
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Flood protection works at Töölönlahti, including demolition of a 1960s-era pedestrian bridge and installation of a temporary crossing
Helsinki will also continue preconstruction in several developing residential areas. Street foundations and plots will be prepared in Huopalahdenportti, Hermanninranta, Nihti, and Eteläinen Postipuisto. These works support future housing for approximately 13,000 residents.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
