Virtaintie, or Highway 23, is closed to traffic at the site of the collapse. Photo: Central Finland Ely-Center Handout / Lehtikuva
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A section of Finland’s Highway 23 collapsed for the second time in less than a year on Tuesday morning in Keuruu, injuring one worker and closing the road to traffic.
The incident took place at around 9:00am near the Katajamäki overpass in the Haapamäki district. The southbound lane gave way during ground drilling linked to earlier repairs on the same stretch, according to the Central Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre).
The injured person was a contractor working at the site. Authorities said the worker was not in life-threatening condition.
An eyewitness described the collapse as sudden and violent. Markku Laukkanen, who was waiting at temporary traffic lights just metres from the scene, told local paper Suur-Keuruu that the ground gave way in seconds.
“There was a loud boom, and the lane just collapsed about 50 metres in front of me. I was lucky the light didn’t turn green,” he said. Laukkanen immediately alerted emergency services and warned oncoming vehicles of the hazard.
The road had previously collapsed in October 2024 on the opposite lane, also during maintenance work. That incident prompted structural reinforcements on the north side, which remained intact this time. Metal support piles had been embedded to prevent further failure.
Project manager Jouni Saunamäki of the ELY Centre confirmed the collapse happened during test drilling aimed at checking soil stability. “We feared this might happen, which is why we began additional tests,” Saunamäki said. “But the event itself was still a complete surprise.”
The precise cause remains under investigation. Officials suspect that moist ground conditions and vibrations from the drilling may have weakened the underlying structure. A geotechnical specialist is due to inspect the site on Thursday.
“Only after that can we accurately determine what caused the failure,” said Janne Jaatinen, head of the ELY Centre’s investment unit.
The road section, also known as Virtaintie, remains fully closed to traffic. Police have put detours in place, with alternative routes directed through roads 346 and 3481. The Transport Management Centre advises heavy vehicles to reroute earlier between Virrat and Keuruu.
Officials said reopening a single lane with temporary traffic lights is the short-term goal. According to Jaatinen, that could happen within two to three days if conditions allow. Full repairs will take several months.
Traffic on the northbound lane had resumed only recently after last year’s collapse. That lane was reinforced with steel supports, which prevented it from collapsing again.
New support piles will now be installed on the south side. Until that happens, the road will remain closed for safety reasons.
The latest collapse has prompted renewed scrutiny of the area’s road stability. The ELY Centre and its contractors are responsible for further analysis and repair plans. There is no indication yet of when full traffic flow might resume.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
