Main road 54 to meet the needs of business life

Main road 54 from Hollola via Riihimäki to Tammela is a transverse connection from the east via Lahti and Forssa to western Finland. The road is a nationally and regionally significant logistical route.

The Kantatie 54, Hämeen Ring Road study was published today, 25 November 2025, by the municipalities of Forssa, Hausjärvi, Hollola, Hämeenlinna, Janakkala, Kärkölä, Loppi, Riihimäki and Tammela, the Häme and Päijät-Häme regional councils, the Häme Chamber of Commerce and the Riihimäki-Hyvinkää Chamber of Commerce. The work was carried out by Destia's Strategic Transport Systems unit.

Kantatie 54 is located in the Southern Finland growth zone.

Main road 54 carries traffic through several ports in southern and western Finland. The growth of the export industry and the imports it requires are increasing the need for transport between western and eastern Finland in both directions. The road is a significant route for long-distance transport and the growth prospects of the business community, especially in southeastern Finland and in central and Päijät-Häme, are generating growth in freight traffic.

Main road 54 is already the most important transverse connection for heavy traffic between the Lahti region and the western ports. Commuting traffic between municipalities is important. The connections formed by Main road 54 and highways 10 and 12 serve as alternative routes for each other, which improves the operational reliability of the road network in the region.

Main road 54 is strategically important for Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme and more broadly for the whole of Finland. The road has shown shortcomings in terms of traffic flow and safety. As it is an important logistical connection, the road should enable reliable delivery for heavy traffic and safety for all traffic.

Main road 54 is outdated compared to needs and has inconsistent standards.

Main road 54 was built mainly in the 1960s and 1970s. The masses of vehicle combinations have increased 2,5 times and the dimensions have doubled since 1970, so the road and shoulders should be wider for safer driving. Accidents occur on average every other week. Heavy traffic is involved in every third accident. In 2020-2024, 135 traffic accidents and almost 800 game accidents have occurred on the road.

The road standards are different on the west and east sides of Riihimäki – there is a clear need for harmonisation.​ Harmonising the road standard serves the long-distance heavy traffic of the business sector. Agricultural traffic uses main road 54 when moving even long distances between farms. Overtaking opportunities are needed for traffic safety. The smoothness and safety of traffic can be improved by adding overtaking lanes, widening the road and developing junctions.​ The cost of building overtaking lanes is approximately 25 million euros and the cost of improving junctions is approximately 50 million euros at 2020 prices.​

The business community in the area is growth-oriented and wants the road to be improved.

Companies in the area operate mainly in domestic market delivery networks, but many also operate in international markets.​ More than 80 percent of respondents to the business survey (n=89) see their industry growing in the future. 74 percent of respondents see an increase in the need for labor in the area affected by the main road 54.​ The main road is seen by respondents as a logistically important route, the improvement of which would promote the smoothness and safety of transportation.​

Businesses in the area commented on Main Road 54 as follows, among other things:

“Logistically, this is an important main road, so traffic safety and smoothness should be improved by, among other things, adding passing lanes and game fences.”

“The success of our international business depends on functional transport connections, including for heavy traffic and oversized transports.”

The city of Riihimäki is located along main road 54, in the center of Finland's economic activity.

"The center of Finland's GDP is calculated to be located on the border between Riihimäki and Loppi. Companies operating in Riihimäki are used to reaching Finnish production and their customers with low transportation costs. It is important for us to offer companies smooth connections in the future as well. The study that has now been completed highlights the importance of route 54 to the competitiveness of our region," says Riihimäki City Mayor Jouni Eho.