The action plan for developing traffic safety in the Imatra region has been completed.

Long-term traffic safety work has been carried out in the Imatra region together with the City of Imatra, the municipalities of Rautjärvi, Ruokolahti and Parikkala, the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (from 1 January 2026, the Centre for Vitality) and other actors.

The traffic environment development action plans have now been updated. Each municipality's plans have compiled locations in the traffic environment that are considered unsafe and measures that can be used to improve the safety of the locations.

During 2025, residents of the region were able to influence the development of the program by responding to a survey conducted in the spring and highlighting challenging and unsafe areas in the traffic environment. In addition, the program was developed using, among other things, an analysis of traffic accidents and traffic safety initiatives received from municipalities and the ELY Centre.

In August 2025, field visits were carried out in the municipalities of the region together with representatives from the city, municipalities and the ELY Centre, where previously mapped potential sites that could improve traffic safety were reviewed and development measures were determined for the sites.

In Imatra, the measures include improving traffic safety in 17 locations.

The final action plan contains a total of 66 measures to improve the traffic environment, of which the responsible party in 32 locations is the Elinvoimakeskus, in 17 locations the city of Imatra, in five locations the municipality of Parikkala, in eight locations the municipality of Rautjärvi and in four locations the municipality of Ruokolahti.

— Most of the measures defined for Imatra are related to improving pedestrian crossings and crossing points, as well as changes to traffic signs and measures to improve the visibility of junctions. All pedestrian crossing or crossing point sites relevant to Imatra are located on the municipal street network, says the city engineer Väinö Juvakka from the city of Imatra.

— As the first measure, we will start traffic planning on Joutsenonkau between Lempeenlieteentie and Vesitorninkatu. The review will take into account the placement of bus stops and pedestrian crossings in the street area, as well as the separation of the street area from property areas. These measures will clarify traffic on Joutsenonkau and improve traffic safety, he continues.

The measures presented in the action plan of the traffic safety plan will be implemented in the coming years within the framework of investment funding. The program serves as a tool for the city and the Vitality Centre when decisions are made on measures to develop the traffic environment.

The implementation of the measures is monitored in annual monitoring meetings with the Vitality Center.

The work was commissioned by the South-Eastern Finland ELY Centre, the City of Imatra and the municipalities of Parikkala, Rautjärvi and Ruokolahti. The plan was prepared by the built environment specialist company Sitowise Oy. The work started in April 2025 and was completed in December 2025.

Vitality Center press release 29.1.2025

For more information:

City Engineer Väinö Juvakka, City of Imatra, vano.juvakkaimatra.fi (vaino[dot]juvakka[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 3849

 Janne Saarikoski, Traffic Safety Manager, Southeast Finland Vitality Centre, janne.saarikoskivitalitycenter.fi (janne[dot]saarikoski[at]elinvoimakeskus[dot]fi), tel. 0295 029 000,