Leppävirta roadworks could add ten minutes to autumn holiday trips
Thursday 8th October 2026 on 13:00 in
Finland
A major roadworks project on Highway 5 could add about 10 minutes to autumn holiday journeys, Yle reports, as traffic is expected to surge on Friday.
Friday, October 9, is forecast to be one of the busiest road travel days of the year. Traffic volumes are expected to rise by several tens of percent compared with a normal weekday. Queues are likely on Highway 5 near Lusi in Heinola and on Highway 9 between Tampere and Orivesi.
Major works on Highway 5
One of Finland’s largest road construction projects is under way in Leppävirta, on Highway 5, a busy route running from southern Finland towards northern holiday destinations. The project includes 16 kilometres of passing lanes with a central barrier and 16.5 kilometres of four-lane motorway, stretching from near Leppävirta town centre to the start of the Kuopio motorway. It also includes an emergency landing strip for the Finnish Defence Forces.
Traffic is sometimes stopped during construction. A speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour applies along about 10 kilometres of the work zone, and traffic lights may halt vehicles to allow construction traffic to move. Stops are limited to eight minutes, while the lower speed limit could add around 10 minutes to a journey, project manager Harri Liikanen of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency said.
No traffic stops are planned during morning and evening rush hours or on Fridays. Highway 5 normally carries about 7,000 to 8,000 vehicles a day, with volumes increasing by several tens of percent during holiday periods.
Dozens of other roadworks are under way on main roads around Finland, including lighting upgrades and barrier, lane and resurfacing work. Detours are in place at several projects, including on Ring Road III at the junction with Highway 1, on Highway 3 in Kurikka and on Highway 9 in Laukaa.
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency advises drivers to follow temporary speed limits, which it says are in place to protect road users and construction workers.