A new pedestrian bridge in the city of Turku, which is three years behind schedule and set to be completed in the middle of October, will be the most expensive bridge in Finland in terms of price per square metre.
The 140-metre-long, six-metres-wide bridge provides pedestrian access over rail tracks between the city centre and the Logomo concert and conference venue as well as nearby residential areas.
The price per square metre is estimated to be about 28,000 euros.
By comparison, the price per square metre of a conventional bridge is about 1,500–3,000 euros per square metre, according to Markku Äijälä of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
However, specialist bridges — such as the Logomo bridge, which boasts bronze coated gates and full height exterior wall glazing — tend to be more expensive, typically costing in the region of 10,000 euros per square metre.
There is no comprehensive list of Finnish bridges and their costs, as each contract is different and may include other road, track or street work that affect the overall costs.
Story continues after the photo.
The completion of the Logomo bridge has so far been delayed by about three years, mainly due to design problems.
The City of Turku first made a decision on financing the construction in 2015, when a little over 5 million euros of public money was set aside for the project.
The amount was increased after a design and tender process in 2017, when construction company the Lemminkäinen Group secured the contract with an estimate of 8.5 million euros. Lemminkäinen merged with the YIT Corporation in 2018, and work on the bridge has continued under this new corporate restructuring.
Earlier this year, the city set a limit of 21.6 million euros for the project, with more than 10 million euros of this amount being allocated for costs associated with extra repair work and the delayed construction.
Similar projects have been cheaper
In general, the construction costs of bridges are rising, but the sharp increase in the cost of the Logomo bridge puts it in a class of its own.
The Logomo bridge resembles the Tikkurila railway station bridge in Helsinki, which was completed in 2015 in line with the planned construction schedule of one year.
The initial cost estimate for the Tikkurila bridge was 19 million euros, and the 28-metre-wide, 75-metre-long bridge eventually cost 23 million euros. The price per square meter was therefore 11,000 euros.
Story continues after the photo.
The Isoisä pedestrian and cycling bridge, which connects the Kalasatama neighbourhood on the Helsinki mainland to the island of Mustikkamaa, is also comparative with the Logomo project.
The Isoisä bridge was completed in 2016, less than two years after construction began. The bridge is 170 metres long and about four metres wide. The price rose from an estimate of about four million to seven million euros, giving it a final price per square metre cost of about 10,000 euros.
Story continues after the photo.
Another interesting comparison on the cost of building bridges can be found in Sweden.
The 140-metre-long, 45-metre-wide Guldbron or "Golden Bridge" was built in China and then shipped to Sweden in one piece via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean, through the English Channel and the Baltic Sea to Stockholm.
Despite the costs associated with construction and shipping of the Guldbron, the bridge still cost less than the Turku pedestrian bridge, at about 20 million euros, or just under 3,200 euros per square metre.