Helsinki to fix dangerous Crown Bridges bike path joints in late August

Repairs to the hazardous expansion joints on Helsinki’s Crown Bridges cycle path will not begin until late August, Yle reports.

The work is scheduled for the night of 25–26 August, with the bridge closed during the operation. New steel plates will be installed to reduce the depth of the joints by roughly two-thirds, leaving a gap of about 10 millimetres—a change expected to significantly improve cyclist safety.

Lauri Hänninen, communications chief for the Crown Bridges project, cited July shutdowns at steel fabrication workshops and the need to respect nesting periods for local seabirds as reasons for the delay. The repair will cost approximately €20,000.

Warning markings painted on the bridge after a cycling accident in April will remain, though Hänninen said they will no longer be necessary for cyclists. They will instead serve as a reminder for winter maintenance crews, as the new, shallower plates are more vulnerable to damage from snowploughs.

The bridge will face additional closures in July and August for post-welding and load testing to ensure long-term durability. Scheduled shutdowns include 2–3 July (16:00–06:00), 21–22 July (21:00–06:00), 8 August (08:00–20:00), and 25–26 August (21:00–06:00).