[7/4/2008 1]
The Citytunnel Will Open in 2010
The Citytunnel will open on December 11, 2010, a newly-published schedule shows. This is over six months earlier than planned.
"The last critical part of the tunnel work is complete, so we can now plan the next few years more accurately", says Örjan Larsson, Citytunneln Project Manager.
When the first sod was cut in March 2005, the plan was that the Citytunnel would come into operation in summer 2011.
"We had started a very complex construction project, and there were a lot of risk factors that could affect the project during the six years that lay before us. With the completion of the last cross passages, we have finished the most critical underground part of the project, and can say that the work has gone quicker than estimated, which means we can put it into operation earlier", says Örjan Larsson.
"The main factors that made the change of time plan possible are the success of the tunnel driving and the construction of the large concrete structures of the project. The work has gone better than we expected", says Örjan Larsson.
"Of course, the success has not come without effort. All contractors have worked hard and kept their focus firmly on the success of the project".
"Another contributory factor has been systematic risk handling. All possible risks have been identified, and by analysing these risks and minimising them as much as possible, and being prepared for the problems that could arise, we were able to avoid adverse consequences, both technical and time-related ones. This has also contributed to the high quality of the Citytunnel’s construction".
So far, the Citytunnel has also kept within budget. A strong contributing reason to this is that the time plan has been maintained and even exceeded – time is money on big projects.
"If you can keep to the time plan, you also obtain the best conditions for keeping the lid on costs", says Örjan Larsson.
A lot of work remains to be done before the trains can to begin to roll. There is still major concrete work needed in the tunnels at Malmö C and Triangeln Station, plus track-laying and technical railway equipment, as well as all the installation work.
The Citytunnel consists of 17 km of railway that connects Malmö C with the Öresund bridge and connects the Scanian railway network and increases the future capacity of rail bound traffic. Six kilometres are tunnel under the centre of Malmö, eleven kilometres are railway above ground.
Malmö C is extended with an underground section. New stations are constructed at Triangeln and in Hyllie.
The first sod was cut on March 8th, 2005. The Citytunnel is scheduled to be finished in 2010. The budget of the project is 9.45 billion SEK in the money value of the year 2001.