TENDERING IS NOW underway for projects contained in Madrid's 2007-11 transport infrastructure plan, which was approved by the cabinet of the regional government on August 2 with a total budget of €2·23bn.
The metro network is to grow by a further 11 km at a cost of €740m, including the extension of Line 11 from La Peseta to La Fortuna where contractor Dragados has already begun tunnelling (RG 8.07 p472). Line 2 is to be extended from La Elipa to Las Rosas, and Line 9 by 2 km from Herrera Oria to Mirasierra. To the south of the city, Line 3 is to be extended by 2·8 km from Villaverde Alto to El Casar.
Two light rail projects are contained in the 2007-10 plan. A 10 km route in the northwestern suburbs budgeted at €450m will connect a new hospital at Puerta de Hierro with Majadahonda and Las Rozas, while a 3·5 km line is planned to serve Valdemoro in the south of the region. This is expected to cost €100m.
Completing the 2003-07 expansion plan, the light rail routes from Colonia Jardín to Pozuelo de Alarcón and Boadilla del Monte opened to traffic on July 27.
The regional government expects to award contracts this autumn for construction of 14·5 km of new infrastructure to extend Renfe suburban services from Móstoles to Navalcarnero. This project has a budget of €363m.
The cross-city tunnel between Atocha and Chamartín was closed to traffic from August 7 to 23, to permit remodelling at both stations to accommodate the new tunnel via Sol. Service frequencies on metro lines 1 and 10 were increased and some suburban services diverted via Madrid's eastern belt line.
