Trunk bus route 500, Itäkeskus – Herttoniemi – Pasila – Meilahti – Munkkivuori, will replace bus 58. The frequently running trunk bus will provide a fast link between Itäkeskus and Munkkivuori.
The bus will run between Herttoniemi and Itäkeskus via a bridge to be constructed on Suunnittelijankatu and via the Herttoniemi industrial area. The bus will also serve the new residential blocks planned to be built along Työnjohtajankatu.
Trunk bus route 510, Herttoniemi – Pasila – Meilahti – Otaniemi – Tapiola, will replace bus 551. Trunk bus services 500 and 510 will run along the same route between Herttoniemi and Meilahti, where demand for travel is high. At the ends of the routes, supply can be adjusted according to demand.
Buses 58 and 551 will be transformed into trunk bus routes 500 and 510 in phases. From autumn 2018, buses 58 and 551 will mainly operate along the trunk service routes but under the old route numbers and with the current, blue vehicles. Orange trunk bus routes will be introduced in 2019-2020, along with new route numbers.
The phasing is due to operating contracts and various construction projects underway along the routes.
Bus 79 will in the future run via the Suunnittelijankatu bridge and Laivalahdenkatu along the same route as bus 500. The buses will together improve transport services to the Herttoniemi industrial area. The new route of bus 79 will also be faster than the current route via Sorvaajankatu.
Bus 79 will be rerouted to run via Linnanrakentajantie already in autumn 2017. The bus will start running via Suunnittelijankatu once the new bridge is opened approximately in 2019.
The peak time route 79B will be extended from Siilitie Metro Station to the Roihupelto industrial area in autumn 2018.
The terminus of bus 80 will be moved from the Roihupelto industrial area to Itäkeskus. Buses 80, 82 and 83 will start running more frequently from autumn 2018. Buses 80 and 82 will provide frequent service from Herttoniemi via Roihuvuori to Itäkeskus.
The routes of buses 81, 82 and 83 will not change. Likewise, there will be no changes to the night bus routes in Herttoniemi.
In autumn 2018, the termini of buses 50 and 59 will be moved from Herttoniemi to Sompasaari to serve the growing area of Kalasatama. Kalasatama will become an important interchange between the Metro and buses 50 and 59 for passengers traveling to Teollisuuskatu and Pasila. Trunk bus routes 500 and 510 will provide a direct link from Herttoniemi to Pasila.
The aim of the changes is to create an efficient and reliable route network to meet the travel needs of the growing Herttoniemi area.
HSL has planned the changes in interaction with residents. The changes are based on one of the three options HSL presented to residents in winter 2017. HSL received some 700 comments on the proposed options.