Steel bridge to floating house closed in Loviisa due to collapse risk

Loviisa has closed the steel bridge leading to its well-known floating house to all traffic, including pedestrians, citing safety risks from erosion damage beneath the bridge’s abutments, Yle reports.

The city states that the stability of the bridge’s foundations and structural load-bearing capacity cannot currently be guaranteed. Movement on the bridge is prohibited until repairs to the abutment base are completed.

Last week, authorities banned vehicle traffic; the restriction now extends to all pedestrian use. A detour via a connecting bridge at the southern end of the floating street (dock) has been arranged. The floating street itself remains open to light pedestrian traffic.

Loviisa will begin detailed structural investigations and repair planning. Officials describe the work as technically demanding, with no timeline yet available for the start or completion of repairs. The floating house gained public attention as a featured property during the 2023 housing fair.