Riyadh Metro moves into construction
29 Jul 2013
Shani Wallis, TunnelTalk
- Three international consortia headed by FCC, Spain, Bechtel of the USA and Ansaldo, Italy, are awarded for construction of the 176km Riyadh Metro network in Saudi Arabia (Fig 1). Valued at an estimated US$22.5 billion, the investment covers the largest metro programme under development in the world at present, with procurement of the six-lines and 85-stations grouped into five design-build packages that include supply of the rolling stock and installation of M&E in each.
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Fig 1. Lines of the 176km Riyadh Metro network
- FCC, as leader of the FAST consortium, with partners Samsung (Korea), Alstom (France), Strukton (The Netherlands), Freyssinet Saudi Arabia and engineering companies Typsa (Spain) and Setec (France), is awarded the largest part of the works, to complete a total 64.6km of track and 25 stations for Lines 4 (Orange, towards the airport), 5 (Yellow) and 6 (Purple). Valued at €6.07 billion (about US$8 billion), the contract includes design and construction of an alignment that comprises 26.6km underground, 29.8km on viaducts, and 8.2km at grade.
- The Blue Line 1 and Green Line 2, linking the Alia–Batha axis and running on the King Abdullah Road axis, is awarded to the BACS consortium. Led by Bechtel and including Vinci (France), Siemens (Germany), Almabani General Contractors (Saudi Arabia), Consolidated Contractors Company (Saudi Arabia), and engineers AECOM (USA), the two lines and their rolling stock are valued at more than US$9 billion - $6.561 billion for the Blue Line and $2.88 billion for the Green Line.
- The Red Line 3 will run on the Medina Road and Prince Saad Bin Abdulrahman Road axis and is awarded to the Ansaldo-led ANM (Arriyadh New Mobility) group, which includes Bombardier Transportation (UK and Canada), Ansaldobreda (Italy), Larsen & Toubro Construction (India), Salini-Impregilo (Italy), Nesma & Partners (Saudi Arabia) with designers Hyder Consulting (UK), Worley Parsons (USA) and IDOM (Spain). The contract is valued at approximately US$5.211 billion and comprises a 40.7km alignment, 22 stations, installation of electrical and mechanical equipment, and supply of the rolling stock.
- A fourth group led by Bombardier Transportation (UK and Canada) with OHL (Spain) Al Rajhi Holding Group (Saudi Arabia), YAPI Merkezi Insaat (Turkey), Al Arrab Contracting Co (Saudi Arabia), Shibh AL jazira Contracting Co (Saudi Arabia), GS Engineering and Construction (Korea), with engineers Serco Group (UK), Mott Macdonald (UK) and Parsons Brinckerhoff (Saudi Arabia) prequalified but miss out on the awards. Bombardier Transportation then joined the ANM group. In other group changes, Alpine Bau of Austria, a daughter compay of FCC, pulled out of the FAST group after going into bankruptcy receivership in June, and Strabag of Austria, as the original leader, left the ANM group.
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Driverless rolling stock
- Preliminary designs for the near-180km system were carried out by consultants Dar-Al-Hanasah of Lebanon and Egis Rail of France. These base the network on 35.2km of bored running tunnels with a further 13.7km of cut-and-cover work for a total preliminary design subsurface length of nearly 49km.
- In a statement announcing its success, FCC said it will use three TBMs of about 10m diameter on its three lines and supply a fleet of two-car driverless train sets for the routes to be supplied by consortium partner Alstom. FCC Managing Director Miguel Jurado confirmed to TunnelTalk that the 10m TBMs will build single-tube, double track tunnels. "Supply of the machines is not yet confirmed," he said. He added that all the trains for the system will be of the same design and appearance.
- As a member of the ANM group, Bombardier confirmed in a statement that it will deliver 47 two-car driverless Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 trains equipped with Bombardier Mitracpropulsion technology. Bombardier's share of the estimated US$5.211 billion contract is valued at about US$383 million.
- Also appointed in May this year (2013) are the architects and selected designs for the three main intersection stations of the 85 air-conditioned stations on the network, that are planned to be outstanding landmarks of the city's world-class public transport system, providing shopping and dining, and placing the Metro at the heart of city life. The consultancies for the three underground station complexes are Gerber Architekten (Germany) for Olaya Station at the intersection of Metro Lines 1 and 2, Snohetta (Norway) for the Qasr Al Hokm Downtown Station that will serve as a transfer point between Metro Lines 1 and 3, and Zaha Hadid (UK) for the King Abdullah Financial District Station at the intersection of Metro Lines 4 and 6.
Artist impressions of the center piece interchange stations
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Gerber: Olaya Station east entrance
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Gerber: Olaya Station interior
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Snohettea: Downtown Station concept
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Downtown Station mid-level
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Zaha Hadid: KAFD Station exterior
- The three contract packages were signed at a grand ceremony late on Sunday, 28 July, presided over by Riyadh Governor Prince Khaled Bin Bandar, chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh. Construction on all the lines is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2014 with the project scheduled to be complete and in service during 2019.
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Prequalifiers selected for Riyadh metro works - TunnelTalk, September 2012
Riyadh Metro win for Spanish-led group - TunnelTalk, July 2013
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