Browsing by Author "Suominen, Jouni"

The west metro project has been one of the most controversial traffic issues in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The extension of the metro line to Espoo has been on the table ever since the metro was introduced in Helsinki. The first part of the Helsinki metro was completed in 1982 and the line has been expanded various times since. However, plans to expand the metro line westward Espoo didn’t realised until 2006 when the traffic system decision was made by Espoo city council. The building of the west metro began in 2010. The aim of this master's thesis has been to study what kind of challenge has the west metro been in a regional land use and transport planning context. In addition, the objective of the research is to demonstrate what sort of development possibilities the west metro creates in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. West metro represents a case study that enables us to understand the complex interaction between transport and land use. The research method was based on analysis of qualitative data including literacy and theme interviews. The main objective of the theme interviews has been to demonstrate the difference of perception between Helsinki and Espoo in connection with the west metro. Moreover, the objective of the interviews has also been to sum up the strategic goals in local and regional context. Five interviews were performed which involved altogether seven persons. In addition, there were two professionals who sent their answers by email. According to the interviews and literature study it can be noted that the problematic of the west metro springs from different targets of city politics and urban planning between Helsinki and Espoo. Helsinki has preferred regional cooperation in favour of prosperous metropolitan area whereas Espoo has valued its independence and autonomy. The public transport in Espoo has been carried preferably by bus traffic. Metro, causing the notable intensification of land use, has seen undesirable in Espoo. Lack of political will and unclarity in state's portion to be financed for metro's building costs have also delayed the development of west metro. West metro is an important traffic project for the competitiveness of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. West metro promotes competition of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and facilitates to control competition disadvantages caused by growth. West metro is linked to many development targets of land use, housing and transport: densifying land-use, intensifying housebuilding, enabling better accessibility to services and jobs, strengthen of business, improving public transport and reducing car traffic. West metro can be viewed as an example of the improvement in the regional co-operation between municipalities as well as an example of vulnerability of the cooperation based on voluntariness. In a symbolic way west metro can be seen as a sign of metropolis thinking which at its best ties different players to share a common target.