Historic Greek city confirms metro extension
Mar 2012
Peter Kenyon, TunnelTalk
- Four TBMs are set to be working simultaneously under Greece's historic second city, Thessaloniki, following an announcement that the first of five planned metro extensions is on target to break ground in the autumn.
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Fig 1. Thessaloniki Metro (western section)
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Fig 2. Thessaloniki Metro (eastern section)
- Greek train operator Attiko Metro confirmed at a press conference (March 5) that it will be announcing the winning bid from a list of four early this summer.
- Three international JVs, and a single company bid from Greece's largest construction company, Aktor ATE, have made it onto the final shortlist for the construction of the eastern Kalamaria extension (Fig 2, dark blue line).
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The competing JVs are:
• Aegek Kataskevastiki/ Impregilo/ SELI/Ansaldo STS
• Terna A.E/ Alpine Bau GMBH/ FCC Construccion SA
• J&P/ Avax AE/ Ghella SpA/ Alstrom Transport SA - The €465 million design-build contract, largely paid for from preferential rate E.U. Development Fund Loans, is for the construction of 5km of twin running track and five stations. A total of 4.8km of the new alignment will be excavated using two TBMs, with the rest being cut-and-cover. At a later date the Kalamaria extension will itself be extended by a further 5km to the airport on the eastern fringes of the city (Fig 2, light blue line).
- Construction of the Kalamaria extension (scheduled for completion within five years) is set to run simultaneously with the central 9.6km main (red) line, which is currently under construction using two 6.12m diameter Herrenknecht EPB TBMs working at depths of between 17-31m.
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Red line breakthrough at Panepistimio Station (Jan 2010)
- Each tunnel is segmentally lined in concrete to a thickness of 30cm, leaving an i.d. of 5.1m. Predominant soil conditions are a mix of clay, sandy-clay and sand, and thus far SELI has reported a maximum 120 l/hr rate of water inflow.
- The clear favourite to win the latest contract is the Aegek/ Impregilo/ SELI/ Ansaldo JV, which is already building the main red line and 13 new stations as part of a separate €1.1 billion design-build contract.
- The two TBMs on that first phase of the metro were launched in January 2009. Earlier this month they had completed 70% of their 7.7km twin running drives.
- At a later date the Kalamaria extension, which can expect to meet similar ground conditions, will itself be extended by a further 5km to the airport at on the eastern side of the city.
- Announcing the final shortlist and details of the start date, Attika Metro said it had reached an advanced planning stage for the next extension - the 5km Stavroupoli western extension (Fig 1, brown line), which will also include the construction of five new stations in its scope.
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Red line breakthrough at Sidrivani Crossover (Nov 2009)
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6.12m Herrenknecht EPBM at the factory
- Dimosthenis Bakoglidis, Mayor of Kalamaria, said at last week's press conference: "The Metro Project is the most important project in the area of Thessaloniki and the most extensive public work currently being executed in Greece. We are pleased that today all obstacles are removed for the implementation of the metro extension to Kalamaria."
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