Erkkilä Bridge in Tampere reopens to pedestrians and cyclists on 28 May; cars to follow in summer

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency says Erkkilä Bridge will open to pedestrians and cyclists on Thursday 28 May at 3 p.m., with an opening event running until 6 p.m. Motor vehicle access will follow later in the summer once surrounding work is finished.

The opening comes about two months ahead of the previously planned August reopening, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency says. Project engineer Tapani Läärä credited a fast-moving spring and good weather for speeding up street and utility work, and noted that many utility tasks completed last autumn also helped accelerate progress. "It's great that the bridge can already be taken into partial use," he said.

The renovation is part of the Tampere rail yard project, which began in April 2025 and includes changes to the rail yard, a new vehicle maintenance area at Naistenlahti and capacity upgrades to the track. The old plate-girder bridge was demolished last spring. The new deck was cast in October, and construction resumed after the winter pause.

City construction director Milko Tietäväinen said the new structure is wider and designed for multiple modes of travel, with dedicated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists and separate lanes for motor traffic, adding that cycling conditions will improve and views are more open now that the steel arches have been replaced with glass railings. The bridge's blue steel arches have been stored on Näsisaari for planned reuse as a connector between the Uittotunneli and Näsisaari.

Final touches will continue through the summer: Erkkilänkatu is being renewed alongside street and district heating work, and the Juhannuskylä school yard restoration is still underway. The opening event on 28 May will feature sausages, balloons and a chance to see construction machinery up close.