Rio government settles R$ 350 million debt with subway consortium.
The Rio de Janeiro state government has transferred R$ 350 million to the consortium responsible for Metro Line 4 for work already completed by contractors working on finishing the construction for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games; thus, the State Secretariat of Transport is up to date with the consortium. With this debt settled, another R$ 150 million is still needed for works surrounding the Line 4 stations, such as paving, lighting, and sidewalks.
Douglas Corrêa - Reporter for Agência Brasil
The Rio State government on Tuesday (5) transferred R$ 350 million to the consortium responsible for Metro Line 4 for work already carried out by contractors working on completing the works for the Rio 2016 Games. In this way, the State Secretariat of Transport is up to date with the consortium.
With the debt settled, another R$ 150 million is still needed for the works surrounding the Line 4 stations, such as paving, lighting, and sidewalks. According to the Secretary of Transportation, Rodrigo Vieira, Line 4 will begin operating on August 1st, connecting Ipanema, in the south zone, to Jardim Oceânico, in Barra da Tijuca, in the west zone, in order to meet the demand of the Rio 2016 Games, which begin on August 5th.
The secretary informed that the 15 trains that will be used on Line 4 are already being used on lines 1 and 2. The remaining tests have been carried out, system by system, since last year. Between August 1st and 5th, the line will be used only by those with credentials for the Olympic Games.
Starting August 5th, in addition to credential holders, anyone with tickets to the games will be able to use the metro on that section. After the games, starting September 19th, the line will be open to the public between 11 am and 15 pm. This period will be extended until the end of the year, as the operator reduces the interval between trains and is able to meet the demand.
Understand the work
Rio de Janeiro's Metro Line 4 (Barra da Tijuca — Ipanema) will transport more than 300 people per day, removing approximately 2 vehicles from the streets during peak hours. It will have six stations (Jardim Oceânico, São Conrado, Gávea, Antero de Quental, Jardim de Alah, and Nossa Senhora da Paz) and be approximately 16 kilometers long.
With the new line, passengers will be able to use the entire city's subway system with a single fare, traveling, for example, from Barra da Tijuca to Pavuna. It will be possible to go from Barra to Ipanema in 13 minutes and from Barra to the city center in 34 minutes.
The project is the biggest legacy in transportation that the population of Rio de Janeiro will gain from the Olympic Games. The investment is R$ 9,7 billion, with R$ 8,4 billion coming from the state government and the remainder from the Rio Barra Concessionaire, responsible for the implementation of Metro Line 4, which employs approximately 9 people, including contractors and subcontractors.
After undergoing a testing phase, Line 4 will begin operating in the first half of 2016, when the Nossa Senhora da Paz, Jardim de Alah, Antero de Quental, São Conrado, and Jardim Oceânico stations will be operational.
The Gávea Station project was altered to allow for future expansions of the Rio metro network and will be completed in 2018. This alteration will not impact metro operations during the Olympics and benefits the population of Rio de Janeiro by making the system more flexible for future expansions.