The new Vaskiluoto bridge for cyclists and pedestrians is now open

The old cycling and pedestrian bridge was demolished and replaced with a new bridge. Construction began in April and took just under five months.

– We are very happy with the end result. Cycling and walking along the popular route is now even safer than before, encouraging sustainable mobility. In fact, the bridge was completed a little ahead of schedule, says Project Engineer Samuli Huusko.

The lighting on the bridge will be completed as soon as possible this autumn.

New bridge is wider than the old one

The old bridge was in poor condition and in need of repairs. It was also narrow, which could cause problems when two people met on the bridge. The old bridge was only 2.5 metres wide, whereas the new one is 5.2 metres wide.

– A wider bridge makes getting around easier, especially in winter. On the old bridge, we had to use smaller snow-clearing equipment, which slowed down maintenance, reduced the quality of the work and increased costs. Now everyone has equal opportunities to use the bridge all year round, regardless of their chosen mode of mobility, says Huusko.

The bridge is already seeing a lot of traffic

The Vaskiluoto cycling and pedestrian bridge is part of a popular main route for walking and cycling, which is widely used both for leisure and commuting. The route is an important cycling connection between the Inner Harbour and Vaskiluoto, and the number of users is expected to increase in the coming years.

The project was implemented by the Vaasa Cycling Alliance, which comprises the City of Vaasa, Sitowise and GRK. The construction work provided jobs for local people and contracts for local companies.

The City of Vaasa aims to be climate neutral in 2020’s. The European Commission has awarded Vaasa the Green Leaf designation in recognition of its work for the environment and climate.