public transport

Iltalehti cycled up the hill, which town of Helsinki considers so steep that it’s planning to interchange it with a bridge over the ocean.

The hill runs previous the Humallahte cliffs in Meilahti, Helsinki, on the Seurasaari highway. The hill ends on the intersecting Paciuskenkatu. Cyclists coming from the course of Zaidankatu additionally must experience the hill in query.

The hill is about a few hundred meters lengthy and fairly steep. For a journalist who cycles usually and is in affordable form, the hill will be climbed with relative ease, though you may’t stand up the hill with out getting out of breath.

The hill that brought about a stir, photographed from its prime. In line with the opponents of the bridge, the hill will not be notably troublesome to pedal. Sampo Lepistö

We discovered what makes town plan to go across the seemingly peculiar hill with a bridge that has aroused robust opposition even from the nation’s prime politicians.

Simpler for everybody

Secretary of Helsinki Area Cyclists (Hepo). Tapio Keihänen says that the aim of the bridge is to make biking simpler for extra folks than earlier than.

– It is a vital enchancment on the present resolution. The present route has a really steep hill and a tough crossing. These issues will disappear with the bridge, Keihänen says.

Hepo is an affiliation that promotes biking circumstances and visitors tradition within the capital area. In line with Keihänen, Hepo is in favor of the bridge.

– This makes biking attainable for a a lot wider group of individuals. Not just for the extra able-bodied, but additionally for youngsters and the aged, this route might be good and secure, and also will make commuting to town middle smoother.

In line with Keihänen, the bridge may additionally encourage much less skilled cyclists to get on a motorbike.

Along with the steepness of the uphill, the intersection of Seurasaarenti and Paciuskenkatu at its prime causes issues.

– It would not look very unusual. However when motorists come up the hill on Seurasaarentie, in apply, they nearly all the time take a look at the motorists coming from the left, and the bike owner coming from the fitting will not be seen.

Within the new plan, there might be a crossing of the Seurasaarenti for cyclists, however in a “considerably higher place” than the present one. In line with Keihänen’s understanding, the crossing level is being thought-about for an elevated, right-of-way crossing for cyclists.

A response to critics

Keiänen understands very effectively the opposition the bridge plan has acquired. The bridge has been criticized, for instance, for its impact on Humallahte’s rocky panorama.

Keihänen believes that the reform will make the rock considerably extra accessible than earlier than. As well as, two resting locations are coming to the biking bridge, the place you may cease to have a look at the rock or the seascape.

Keihänen compares the bridge debate to the criticism of the Pohjoisbaana part between Pasila and Käpylä. The part was accomplished in 2017. It was additionally opposed on the grounds that there was already a biking route close by. The sooner, hillier route nonetheless exists.

– Now that the bike path has been constructed, only a few folks use the outdated route anymore, as a result of the brand new one has been discovered to be so significantly better. I consider that the identical will occur with this Munkkiniemi Baana.

In line with Keihänen, the Munkkiniemi Baana additionally permits simpler entry to Seurasaari. He reminds that the bridge plan needs to be seen as part of Munkkiniemi Baana as an entire.

In line with town’s challenge plan, Baana is predicted to enhance biking circumstances from Etu-Töölö to Munkkiniemi, and additional to Leppävaara in Espoo.