Construction Begins on New Tunnel at Hämp Park; Updated Exception Arrangements Keep Detours in Place

A new plan for Tampere’s Hämp Park area keeps road, pedestrian, and bicycle reroutes in place throughout the construction period, Tamperelainen writes. Construction work linked to the university tunnel on Viinikankatu is entering a development phase as solutions for safe, smooth traffic management are refined with the contractor.

The paper says preparatory work for the updated plan begins on Tuesday with clearing vegetation on the slope and removing a row of trees. The development phase also includes expanding the work area at the southern end of Viinikankatu, which requires guiding construction-time traffic higher up the east side slope.

According to Tamperelainen, the goal is to start the university tunnel and associated Viinikankatu upgrades in late spring 2026. The updated exception arrangements are designed to let other vehicle traffic and emergency vehicles pass the site via the same replacement route for the first two years of construction, while also enabling safe, alternative walking and cycling connections further up the slope. The city notes that the plan also allows the replacement connection to be used as a public transport detour during major events or other special situations affecting central Tampere. Kreate Oy has been selected as the city’s partner for the tunnel’s development phase as part of a cooperation project between the city and Finnpark Parkisto Oy for the underground access road.

Aamulehti provides further technical context, saying the tunnel would run in the middle of Viinikankatu and descend to about 40 metres below ground. It also reports that the tunnel is located between Ratapihankatu and the Kalevan intersection bridge. The total cost estimate is 50 million euros, with construction expected to affect Viinikankatu traffic in 2026–2028. In contract details, the paper notes that the Viinikankatu and underground access-road contract value is about 24 million euros, which is to be clarified during the development phase depending on the selected construction solutions.