Major highway 5 bridge replacement in Mikkeli to cause year-long traffic delays

A decade-long project to replace the aging Savilahti bridge in Mikkeli will reduce highway 5 to two lanes for about a year, causing significant delays for the 25,000 daily vehicles using the route, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. Construction is set to begin no earlier than 2028, with completion expected by 2031 at the earliest.

The current 42-year-old bridge will be demolished and replaced with two new structures, each carrying two lanes of traffic. During the transition, drivers will face a year of single-lane traffic in each direction, as detours through Mikkeli’s city center are not feasible, according to project manager Mikko Laitinen of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

“The goal is to minimize disruption so drivers won’t need to take detours,” Laitinen said, noting that financing for the estimated €30 million project has yet to be secured. Final approval may not come until the road plan is completed, potentially delaying the project further.

Once finished, one bridge will carry northbound traffic with two lanes, while the other handles southbound traffic plus a dedicated lane for cyclists and pedestrians. The city of Mikkeli has also requested higher clearance for the new bridges to better accommodate boat traffic to its harbor—the current 8-meter clearance is the lowest along the route, compared to over 10 meters for other bridges.

The bridge, last renovated in 2004, is currently in poor condition and cannot support the heaviest loads, complicating special transport operations. The area is slated for further development, including a new swimming hall, school, shopping center, and cultural arena near the bridge site.