Soukka was selected as a test area for the co-development model as a typical and efficient new one as an area
of supplementary construction caused by the public transport corridor.
SOUKKA
- 8,144 inhabitants (2021), 5,600 new inhabitants and 500 jobs are aimed for in the vicinity of the new metro station in the coming years
- the new metro station was opened in December 2022 and the metro will start operating in 2023
- the city’s goal is to improve the urban structure and improve land use in the vicinity of good public transport connections
- the vision plan for additional construction was drawn up in 2018 and there are several individual planning projects in progress in the area
- site plans support the implementation of renewable forms of energy on properties
- site plans support the implementation of renewable forms of energy on properties
- changes in climate conditions are prepared for in changes to the site plan with stormwater management and green environment solutions
- pedestrian and bicycle traffic separated from vehicle traffic into its own freeway network with overpasses and underpasses of vehicular traffic streets
- the conditions for barrier-free walking and cycling around the station will be improved
- adjacent to the metro station, there are spaces reserved for 50 parking spaces and high-quality bicycle parking
- parking in the area will be solved in connection with new construction in centralized, possibly multi-property parking complexes.
Identification of needs
– Metro starts operating and transforms the centre of Soukka and the transport system.
– The area must be developed to achieve Espoo’s carbon neutrality targets.
– Developing social security.
Identification of stakeholders
– Current residents & interested residents
– Housing associations
– Providers of mobility, transport, maintenance and repair services
– Project developers, builders
Needs and potential
– Conducting a survey of existing and potential residents and other stakeholders to assess the current status and potential of mobility and services.
– Conducting interviews with providers of mobility, distribution logistics, waste management and maintenance services (opportunities, challenges, business realities).
– Analysing movement data and making observations.
– Organising workshops for housing associations (attitudes to parking reorganisation, needs).
– Identifying interested project developers and their views.
Objectives
– Target setting workshops for different actors
– Increasing the modal share of walking and cycling, among other things
– Measures to influence modal split
– Transition to centralised parking (increased efficiency) & related services
– Improving the quality of the environment
– Setting maintenance quality targets
– Development of bicycle parking, in particular park and ride parking
– Development of station areas through a project company model
Solutions and roles
– Benchmarking (parking solutions, metro connections, development of pedestrian and cycling routes)
– Brainstorming workshops for networks (e.g. building a centralised parking solution for a block / developing park and ride parking at the metro station), with the network repeating steps 1–3 as necessary.
– Involving residents, for example through workshops, in the design of the overall plan
– Establishing quality level targets for maintenance
– Planning of the pilot(s)
Regional solution
– Preparing a draft of the service and transport network and service package
– Developing visualisation templates
– Feedback rounds
– Establishing a target-based monitoring model in collaboration
Implementation
– Continuous impact assessment and feedback collection
– Implementation of pilots
– Sharing lessons learned, e.g. within the city about the process and solutions
– Identifying the needs for change
How can Soukka be made sustainable in terms of mobility?
Key identified constraints and challenges:
Soukka’s transport system will change significantly when the metro starts operating in 2023. A strong, rail-based public transport system creates opportunities to improve the sustainability of the whole transport network and also makes Soukka a more attractive area for infill development. Infill development is mainly planned for Soukka’s large, centralised parking areas, but this creates a need for centralised structured parking.
With the metro, the need to improve conditions for walking and cycling will become more pressing. Currently, pedestrian and cycling traffic is separated from vehicle traffic into a separate network of lanes that intersect with car traffic at different levels. Level changes are a challenge, especially in terms of accessibility and smooth cycling. In the already built-up area, another challenge is the question of space allocation: how can we prioritise car traffic, walking and cycling, and where can we find space for walking and cycling traffic development?
In Soukka, accessibility of the metro, walking and cycling opportunities, organisation of centralised parking, and distribution traffic were identified as key areas for development in the context of sustainability objectives at an internal workshop.

Future measures?
1. Transport mode prioritisation & network review
Decisions on how to prioritise and develop walking and cycling are needed as a basis for development. It is important to involve decision-makers, residents and local service providers in this discussion. Particularly in terms of accessibility, it is important to take into account the needs of special groups.
2. Development of the station area
The station area should be developed as a whole. At the network level, walking and cycling connections to the station need to be considered. In the station area, the focus should be on elements such as the quality and safety of bicycle parking, the overall integration of different mobility services (e.g. city bikes, scooters or shared cars), the range of station services, and guidance for park and ride parking. This means involving many actors in the development process. Can a consortium or project developer be found to coordinate the development?
3. Improving the quality of the environment to make cycling and walking more attractive
The quality of the environment has a significant impact on the attractiveness of walking and cycling and accessibility. It can also contribute to a sense of security. On the one hand, targets for environmental quality levels can be set in cooperation and, on the other hand, commitments and controls linked to building permits can be established where necessary to ensure that the targets are met.
4. Project companies/communities to develop centralised parking facilities
Finding suitable parking solutions requires communication, new data-driven solutions (e.g. to find available parking spaces), and project actors. Centralised parking increases the need for more detailed planning of pick-up and drop-off traffic and service traffic. Cooperation and organisation between housing associations, digital service providers and project companies is essential to find a model that benefits everyone.
5. An operating model for distribution traffic
Logistics and facilities for distribution and service transport must be put in order so that they do not get in the way of sustainability objectives. This should be done in collaboration with the actors involved.