Construction of the first line of the Bogotá Metro officially started Friday with a ground breaking ceremony at the intersection of Calle 72 with Avenida Caracas. The Metro de Bogotá is the largest public works undertaking for the Colombian capital, with an estimated cost of US$12 billion. Mayor Claudia López marked the groundbreaking with the transportation company’s general manager Leonidas Leonidas Narváez.
The Metro’s First Line will run 23 km over-ground along the Avenida Caracas with stations connecting to the TransMilenio articulated BRT sytem. At Calle 72 (Avenida Chile) an underpass is being built for cars moving along the busy East – West corridor, as well as designated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.
In August, Mayor López inaugurated the rail yard and train depot in the south of the city. The Metro de Bogotá is a Public-Private partnership between the district, national government and consortium of Chinese contractors China Harbor Engineering Company and Xi’an Metro Company. The first – Metro Linea 1 – is expected to be inaugurated in 2028.
The Second Line – Metro Linea 2 – will be a 11.5 km subway connecting the localities of Chapinero, Barrios Unidos, Engativá with Suba in the north. The contract was recently awarded to the French engineering firm Systra. Line 2 is scheduled to be operational by 2023.
