Visually impaired group challenges Helsinki car-free Kaivokatu plan
Monday 21st September 2026 on 14:30 in
Finland
The Federation of the Visually Impaired has appealed Helsinki’s new plan for Kaivokatu, saying the street would become too dangerous for visually impaired people to navigate independently. Yle reported that the appeal was submitted to the administrative court in June.
The appeal concerns accessibility and the safety of visually impaired people travelling through Helsinki’s central district.
Helsinki City Council approved the plan in May. Under the plan, through traffic would be banned on Kaivokatu, which would become a public transport street. More space would be provided for pedestrians and cyclists.
The federation says the open space would lack clear and consistent routes. It argues that sharing the same space between different forms of transport would make the area harder to understand and navigate. Tram traffic would also increase, requiring pedestrians to cross tracks more often.
The federation has also criticised the lack of traffic light and audio guided crossings at the intersection of Kaivokatu, Mikonkatu and Kaisaniemenkatu. It says these crossings are particularly important for visually impaired people. If crossings are replaced by designated crossing points, crossing the tram tracks could become practically impossible for them.
The appeal cites the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Non Discrimination Act and the Land Use Act.
The federation says the city did not sufficiently assess how the plan would affect different groups of people. According to the appeal, planners were aware of the problems during the preparation process but did not resolve them, instead leaving them for later planning.
The area has also been classified as particularly demanding in terms of accessibility. The federation is asking the administrative court to overturn the plan as unlawful.
Appeal proceedings currently take an average of seven months. Based on that estimate, the court could issue its decision at the beginning of 2027.