Metro Line 7: Progress of works announced
Authorities participated in the first meeting of tunnels on the route.
President Gabriel Boric announced the start of work on the new Metro Line 7 almost a year and a half ago. Construction reached an important milestone today with the first meeting of tunnels on the route.
The union of this first section took place between the Baquedano Oriente construction shafts and the No. 10 construction shaft, located next to the former Café Literario in Balmaceda Park, Providencia.
The No. 10 construction shaft has a surface area of 1,348 square meters. During the excavation stage, it will reach an approximate depth of 33 meters. It will become a ventilation shaft once construction of Line 7 has been completed.
This line has 23 tunnel connections planned throughout its 19 stations, in a process that will finish in 2026.
At the end of January 2024, the project had progressed by 14.6%.
Future Line 7
Line 7 has been given an investment of US$2.5 billion. It will be 26 kilometers in length, with 19 stations that will connect eight municipalities in the Metropolitan Region: Renca, Cerro Navia, Quinta Normal, Santiago, Recoleta, Providencia, Las Condes and Vitacura.
Of these, Renca, Cerro Navia and Vitacura will join the Metro network for the first time, which will have a tremendous impact on the quality of life for their inhabitants.
The connection between stations at each end of the line is estimated to be around 37 minutes. This is a 49% reduction compared to the time the journey currently takes on the bus (around 72 minutes).
Additionally, it is estimated that the project will create more than 24,000 jobs, from the start of works until operation, which is projected for 2028.
During its first year of operation, Line 7 will transport approximately 60 million passengers.