The Last Mile project's pilots in Jätkäsaari for 2019 have now been selected. This year, Jätkäsaari will be used to test new kinds of hobby and sports transports, the shared use of cargo bikes, light local logistics and a smart pedestrian crossing.
Jätkäsaari is a testing ground for new mobility solutions and a showcase for smart transport to the rest of the world. This year, Jätkäsaari will be used to test four new traffic and mobility services or solutions in a real urban environment with city residents. In January-March, Forum Virium Helsinki and the Last Mile sought experimentations for Jätkäsaari through open call for tenders. The aim was to find new and innovative solutions that would facilitate residents' mobility.
The content of the open call was defined in collaboration with residents, planners and companies. To this end, needs, development areas and pain points related to mobility were addressed in four open co-creation workshops and via an online questionnaire targeted at residents.
Based on these co-creation efforts, companies were invited to offer pilots that would offer practical solutions to the mobility challenges faced by the residents of Jätkäsaari, or reduce congestion, emissions or other negative impacts of traffic. A total of four trials were ultimately selected for implementation. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all applicants for their high-quality proposals!
The experiment improves the accessibility of the area's services with the help of a sustainable and fun mode of transport. The trial will bring cargo bikes to the yards of housing companies, which residents can use to go shopping or take their children to daycare, for example. Equipped with smart locks, the bikes will be placed at several locations in Jätkäsaari. The pilot is being conducted by Colossus Finland Oy.
The experimentation will create a new scalable model for transporting children to their hobbies and sports. The model will enable the starting times of hobbies to be changed from evening to early afternoon. The pilot includes the creation of a new operating model and tools for managing the transportation of several age groups to practice and games. The pilot is being conducted by Pallo-Pojat Juniorit ry (PPJ).
The experimentation involves providing local logistics services using electric cargo bicycles to all parties in Jätkäsaari in need of delivery services. The service can be used by both private individuals and companies. The service is provided by Eezery Enterprise Oy.
A smart pedestrian crosswalk improves the traffic safety of residents and other people moving in the area. The pilot will install new traffic signs outfitted with smart technology in Jätkäsaari, which features warning functions that improve traffic safety. In addition to this, the device also collects data on traffic and the environment to support better planning. The pilot is being conducted by Bercman Technologies AS.
City residents have a crucial role to play in the development of new services and as providers of user feedback. In recognition of this, the pilots will be accompanied by the organisation of co-creation workshops for residents and companies starting in the spring. You can also subscribe to the Jätkäsaari developers' mailing list at jätkäkokeilee.fi (in Finnish) to receive information on upcoming events and the launching of new trials. The subscription can be easily cancelled at any time.
The results of the pilots and the lessons learned will be presented to companies and other stakeholders throughout the year at various events and via publications.
The Last Mile project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Six City Strategy (6Aika). The funding is granted by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council. The project will run from 2017 to 2019.