Córdoba Metro
Encyclopedia
The Córdoba Metro is a project that will, according to its proponents, serve the Argentine
city of Córdoba
through a 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) metro
network. The metro system would become the second in Argentina along with the Buenos Aires Metro
.
announced an initiative of the Iecsa/Gela companies to build an underground
system in the City of Córdoba. The announcement was made after a meeting with the Argentine Secretary of Transport, Ricardo Jaime and, on December 14, the municipality commenced Technical and Financial Feasibility studies.
Finally on April 10, 2008, President Cristina Kirchner in a meeting with the mayor
of the city of Córdoba, Daniel Giacomino
confirmed the construction of the metro system. In the meeting, the Argentine president also announced granting the adjudication of the high speed rail to the French engineering giant, Alstom
.
The Second line would run from north to south near the Ciudad Universitaria area, and under the Suquía river
, continuing northwards to the Belgrano railway
, near the Alta Córdoba train station. Plans were initially for the construction of 17 stations, 11 on the west-south line, and six in the south-north line. However, an updated plan was announced in November 2010, with 29 stations on a 18.5 km network built by China Railway International, costing $1.8Bn.
s will be used for the construction. According to experts of the Lecsa company, since the construction work won't be done on the surface, the disadvantages of traffic
complications would be avoided from the very beginning. The tunnels will be covered in 40 cm thick prefabricated assembled units of concrete. The trains will have safety systems along the entire metro network.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
through a 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
network. The metro system would become the second in Argentina along with the Buenos Aires Metro
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
.
Overview of system
On December 10, 2007, the Secretary of Transport and Traffic of the Argentine MunicipalityArgentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
announced an initiative of the Iecsa/Gela companies to build an underground
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system in the City of Córdoba. The announcement was made after a meeting with the Argentine Secretary of Transport, Ricardo Jaime and, on December 14, the municipality commenced Technical and Financial Feasibility studies.
Finally on April 10, 2008, President Cristina Kirchner in a meeting with the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the city of Córdoba, Daniel Giacomino
Daniel Giacomino
Daniel Oscar Giacomino is an Argentine politician elected Mayor of Córdoba in 2007.-Life and times:Giacomino was born in San Francisco, Córdoba, to a family of Piedmontese descent. He earned an American Field Service scholarship with which he attended the University of Kentucky in 1981-82...
confirmed the construction of the metro system. In the meeting, the Argentine president also announced granting the adjudication of the high speed rail to the French engineering giant, Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
.
Features
Depending on which vehicles would be selected and other factors, the total planned cost of the system is of nearly US$ 1.1 billion. The preliminary design of the project foresees the plan of two principal lines. The first line would cross the city from west to south, over Colón and Duarte Quirós Avenues, up to Perón Boulevard, where it would reach the vicinity of the Mitre Railroad, near the bus terminal.The Second line would run from north to south near the Ciudad Universitaria area, and under the Suquía river
Primero River
The Primero River , also known as Suquía , runs through the city of Córdoba, Argentina....
, continuing northwards to the Belgrano railway
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano , named after the Argentine politician and military leader Manuel Belgrano, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
, near the Alta Córdoba train station. Plans were initially for the construction of 17 stations, 11 on the west-south line, and six in the south-north line. However, an updated plan was announced in November 2010, with 29 stations on a 18.5 km network built by China Railway International, costing $1.8Bn.
Construction Features
Tunnel boring machineTunnel boring machine
A tunnel boring machine also known as a "mole", is a machine used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They can bore through anything from hard rock to sand. Tunnel diameters can range from a metre to almost 16 metres to date...
s will be used for the construction. According to experts of the Lecsa company, since the construction work won't be done on the surface, the disadvantages of traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
complications would be avoided from the very beginning. The tunnels will be covered in 40 cm thick prefabricated assembled units of concrete. The trains will have safety systems along the entire metro network.
See also
- Transportation in ArgentinaTransportation in ArgentinaTransport in Argentina is mainly based on a complex network of routes, crossed by relatively inexpensive long-distance buses and by cargo trucks. The country also has a number of national and international airports. The importance of the long-distance train is minor today, though in the past it was...
- Buenos Aires-Rosario-Córdoba high-speed railwayBuenos Aires-Rosario-Córdoba high-speed railwayThe Buenos Aires–Rosario–Córdoba high-speed railway is a project designed to link the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba through a high-speed rail network. The plan, announced by President Néstor Kirchner during a press conference at the Casa Rosada on 26 April 2006, would be...
- Buenos Aires MetroBuenos Aires MetroThe Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...