The Helsinki Region Transport System Plan (HLJ 2011) is a long-term strategic transport plan that considers all transport modes and is also an important part of the land use, housing and transport co-operation of the Helsinki region’s 14 municipalities. A key aim of the cooperation is to produce binding decisions and a letter of intent on regional transport system development measures over the next few years. It also aims to ensure implementation and funding of agreed measures in cooperation with all parties. In order to produce such results, it was essential that a thorough analysis of the transportation system should be carried out.
The preparation of HLJ 2011 began with a status analysis. The analysis took a comprehensive look at the operating environment of the Helsinki region transport system (population, jobs etc.), the state of the transport system and people’s travel behaviour, as well as at the environmental impacts of traffic. This attempt at establishing a baseline, from which local transport can be improved, is vital in the SUMP process.
A large scale traffic survey, conducted in 2007–2008, in close connection with the preparation of HLJ 2011, played an important role in the status analysis. The Helsinki metropolitan commuting area traffic survey included four studies: a travel behaviour survey, an origin-destination survey of passenger cars, an origin-destination survey of public transport, and a park and ride survey. Although the target area of HLJ 2011 covers 14 municipalities, the commuting area is larger and thus the survey area covered as many as 37 municipalities in and around the Helsinki region, and the target population was 1.5 million inhabitants. The survey was also used to provide an extensive database for updating, upgrading and expanding the traffic forecast model system in use.
In addition to the traffic surveys, altogether 15 different sub-studies were done as part of HLJ 2011 in 2008-2010.
The sub-studies were used in the preparation process of HLJ 2011 and they also contributed to the status analysis. The studies included a land-use and rail network study, a vehicular traffic network study, a public transport strategy, a study on walking and cycling, a park and ride strategy, a study on mobility management, a freight traffic study, and a congestion charge study (conducted by the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications).
Major challenges and threats to the development of the transport system were identified from the status analysis. In order to realise the key goals of developing the transport system, HLJ 2011 had to solve or minimise the problems recognised. The key goals and thus the major challenges related to six different sectors: economic efficiency, functionality, environmental, social, and land use related problems. Urban sprawl was one of the major causes of several of the challenges and if it were to continue, it would reduce the chances of achieving many of the key goals of HLJ 2011.
The outcome from the HLJ’s current status analysis has led to a sustainable urban mobility plan that is comprehensive and thorough in detail. It has helped identify key challenges by which the success of the project is gauged.
Photo: HSL/Lauri Eriksson