Vantaa light rail: Assessment of impacts of disposition plan completed
The report assesses impacts on, among other things, regional and community structure, business, cultural environment, nature, climate, as well as people and communities.
The illustration of the light rail at Tietotie stop in Aviapolis where the light rail improves internal connections and accessibility of workplaces. Photo: Ramboll.
A report on the impacts of Vantaa light rail’s disposition plan has been completed. The report assesses impacts on, among other things, regional and community structure, business, cultural environment, nature, climate, as well as people and communities. Each area analyzed has been chosen with care, ranging from Vantaa-level to stop-level to 300-meter impact zones.
Urban structure integrates and stabilizes
According to the report, urban structure—as far as its functions are concerned—will become more mixed along the light rail route. Residential and workplace areas will also become more diverse. As the urban structure integrates, the car-city environment will, in many places, turn into a light rail and pedestrian city, due to short distances.
Hakunila major region will be included in light rail traffic, which may increase the region’s competitive edged compared to the current state. The disposition plan creates potentials for diminishing differences between regions and for increasing regional equality.
More investment and business potentials for businesses
The light rail disposition plan supports, in great many ways, the City of Vantaa’s strategic objectives set for developing residential and workplace areas and brings significant investments potentials to Vantaa. New business and office premises building, as well as housing production, will increase the region’s business potential.
Accessibility of businesses and office premises on public transport improves, which enhances businesses’ business potentials and attractiveness. The risk is that business and office premises building will not be realized as planned and that some of the business and office premises building potential is transferred to residential building, so that the business potential may not be fully utilized.
Cultural environment and green areas to remain unchanged
According to the report, sites valuable from the cultural-history perspective will not be jeopardized, even though their environment may change due to integrating the urban structure. Likewise, according to the report, the light rail disposition plan accounts for nature sites and waterways, and they will be comprehensibly secured. In addition, green strips aim to link green areas including nature sites with one another. There is even the possibility in some places to increase the number of green areas and their interfaces.
According to the report, the strengths of Vantaa light rail's disposition plan from the climate perspective consist of the following: reduced need for mobility; modes of transport focus on sustainable alternatives; diversification of regional and community structures; as well as utilization of existing infrastructure.
The report was compiled on the basis of the disposition plan material in the summer and fall of 2022 as consultation by Ramboll Finland Oy. Read the report in full on Vantaa light rail's website. The light rail disposition plan will be handled in January by the urban environment committee.
