The light rail journey has begun
Construction of the light rail system has begun, and Vantaa is in the midst of historic change. The construction sites are visible in everyday life, but the light rail promises better connections, new jobs, and a more cohesive city for the whole of Vantaa, says Pekka Timonen, Mayor of Vantaa, in an editorial in the residents' magazine.
When traveling around Vantaa, it is now easy to see that construction of the light rail system has begun. New construction sites can be seen along the entire 18-kilometer route from Fazerila to Aviapolis. They show what the largest investment in the history of the city of Vantaa means in practice.
The large construction sites also affect the daily lives of residents: noise, detours on familiar routes, and exceptional arrangements. Based on feedback, we have already decided to improve the construction site arrangements and enhance communication, but patience will continue to be needed.
The tram will change Vantaa permanently. The tram itself consists of tracks and carriages, but its impact is greater than is often thought. Over time, a new kind of Vantaa will emerge around the tracks. The tram city is also intended to be a better city.
When the tram runs from Mellunmäki through Hakunila and Tikkurila to Aviapolis, the whole city will be connected in a new way: many areas will no longer be isolated islands, but easily accessible parts of a single city. Architects speak poetically about the urban fabric.
The tram improves mobility and connections throughout almost the entire city of Vantaa. Together with the Ring Rail Line, it creates an internal rail network in Vantaa. It is easier to travel to leisure activities. From Myyrmäki, you can reach Jumbo, Finland's largest shopping center, with just one change. From Tikkurila, it is a short tram ride to the Fazer visitor center, for example. In Mellunmäki, you can hop off the tram and onto the Helsinki metro.
Vantaa is in dire need of new jobs and balanced urban growth. Real estate investors and companies favor the tram because the tracks and stops remain in place. This creates certainty, and the tram appearing in the landscape is an incentive to build new homes, services, and jobs.
Several companies operating in Vantaa have said that their employees want a tram. It will provide a new direct connection to the large employment areas of Tikkurila and Aviapolis. It will also provide a new connection for the international community at the airport and Aviapolis.
Of course, the tram alone will not make Vantaa a better place. The decision to build the tram was a bold one, but it gives us the opportunity to improve. The positive effects will materialize if we succeed in taking advantage of the change made possible by the tram.
The future lives in Vantaa.
Pekka Timonen, City Mayor
