Highway project forces demolition of 15 homes between Kotka and Kouvola

Fifteen homes will be demolished for a 122 million euro upgrade of Highway 15 between Kotka and Kouvola, Yle reports. The project will add passing lanes, grade-separated junctions and new bridges, and is scheduled for completion in 2029.

The state bought the homes, and all their residents have moved out. Most of the buildings are old wooden houses.

Jere Laulainen’s family was among those forced to leave their home in Myllykoski, a locality in Kouvola. He still drives past the property for nostalgic reasons.

“Sometimes I drive past purely out of nostalgia. The trees have already been felled and the yard has been dug up,” Laulainen said.

The demolition schedule for the Laulainens’ former home is not yet known. A house a few kilometres away has already been demolished, and a barn was due to be torn down on Wednesday.

According to Juho Kolehmainen, the project manager for main contractor Destia, a plot can be cleared within a couple of days. Trees have already been cut down across several hectares along the route.

“The landscape will change even more over the course of the autumn,” Kolehmainen said.

Home was initially outside the project

Highway 15 has been under planning for more than 20 years. When the Laulainens bought their house, it was not expected to be affected by the upgrade.

After more detailed investigations, the road embankment had to be widened beyond the original plans. Blasting will also take place next to the Laulainens’ home.

“My wife and I concluded that it would be better to leave,” Laulainen said.

The family’s departure was not ultimately difficult, he said. The hardest part was the long wait for more precise information about whether they would have to move.

“We were constantly left hanging, wondering whether we would have to move or not. That was probably the worst part.”

The state bought all 15 homes. The Laulainens were able to move on financially and received slightly more because of the project.

More than 10 detours planned

The upgrade also includes a parallel road to provide a route between the cities for pedestrians, cyclists and other slower traffic. Some of the parallel road will be new, while other sections will use the existing Highway 15 or other roads.

A path for light traffic is already being built along Tavastilantie, together with a noise barrier. Construction of detours for the first bridge works will begin in the coming days.

More than 10 detours will be needed for the bridge works alone. Speed limits on the detours will be set at 50 kilometres per hour, which is expected to cause traffic congestion.

Some of the homes being demolished will temporarily be used by the project, including as offices and accommodation. They will be demolished by the time the project is completed in 2029.

The Laulainens lived in their former home beside the highway for about 11 years. They found a new home nearby in Myllykoski and wanted to remain in the same area because services are close and Helsinki, Kotka and central Kouvola can be reached quickly.

The family moved from a detached house to a small apartment building and is now satisfied with the decision. Their children were immediately enthusiastic about the new home.

Only a small proportion of the demolition waste will go to landfill, as most of it will be recycled.