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Investment
in Arriyadh
sheer scale and scope of the network that the Arriyadh Development
Authority is currently creating with the first operations commencing
in 2018.
This is arguably the largest single civil engineering project ever
undertaken. From the outset planners knew that if they wished
to make a real impact on traffic congestion and slash the resulting
economic and social costs, they have to build an effective, efficient and
most importantly, a highly attractive urban public transport system
which people would take to their hearts and embrace and use on a
regular basis.
One little-considered aspect of the ADA’s extraordinary plans
is that when the project was announced, no less than 38 consortia,
involving 391 companies from 50 countries sought to pitch for the
work, which in the end was awarded to just four consortia. This
probably unprecedented level of response surely demonstrates
how across the world, international firms have been so eager to be
associated with such an outstandingly prestigious and eye-catching
project.
Six-Line 176-Kilometer Metro System
The key to Arriyadh’s remarkable new public transport system
is the six-line, 85-station metro which runs along 176 kilometers
of track. The greater portion of the lines is elevated, while some
86 kilometers of the system are being run underground with other
sections at surface level.
The 85 stations will all integrate with the bus network and there
will be nine stations where lines interlink. The largest proportion of
the stations is being built above ground, 29 of them elevated. In the
City Center, there are 27 stations deep underground while 14 more
are shallow underground.
1. Line One (the Blue Line) is 38 km long with four transfer stations
(to Lines 2, 3, 4 and 6), 17.3 km of bored tunnel, 15.9 km of bridges,
two depots and four park and ride sites.
2. Line Two (the Red Line) is 25.3 km long with three transfer
stations (to Lines 1, 5 and 6). It is to run mostly on a raised strip in
the middle of a new freeway, with just 2.9 km of bored tunnel and 5.4
km of bridges. There will be a depot at the eastern end, a marshalling
yard in the west and one park and ride site.
3. Line Three (the Orange Line) is 40.7 km long with two transfer
stations (to Lines 1 and 6). It will run through 6.2 km of bored
tunnels and 3.2 km of cut and covered tunnels with 26.1 km of
bridge. It will be served by two depots, a central marshalling yard
and four park and ride sites.
4. Line Four (the Yellow Line) is to run for 29.6 km with eight
stations, three of which will be common with Line 6. There will also
be a transfer station with Line 1. It will include 7 km of cut and cover
tunnels, 15.9 km of bridges and will share a depot with Line 6. It
will also share one park and ride site with Lines 6 and 1.
5. Line Five (the Green Line) runs underground for 12.9 km with
eight stations and two transfer stations (to Lines 1 and 2). It has a
depot at its northern end.
6. Line Six (the Purple Line) is to have eight stations along its 29.9
km length, three of which it will share with Line 4. There are also
three transfer stations (to Lines 1, 2 and 3). It will have 106 km of
cut and cover tunnels, 17.4 km of bridges and one depot, shared with
Line 4, together with a marshalling yard at its south east end. It will
also have one park and ride site, which it will share with Lines 1 and
4.
• The two longest lines (Lines One and Three) run respectively
roughly north-west to south-east between Olaya, King Faisal and
Bathaa Streets and south-west to north-east along King Abdullah
Road. Line Three, between Al Madinah Al Munawwarah and Prince
Saad Streets.
• Ibn Abdulrahman Road, is arguably going to be the most complex
in engineering terms, as it will require considerable tunnelling and
viaducts. Both lines, which cross and intersect downtown, will be
deep tunnelled beneath Arriyadh city center.
• Line Two, also running south-west to north-west, will, with the
exception of two overground stops at its western end, all be shallow
underground. It intersects with three lines (One, Five and Six).
• Line Four, with nine stops, rolls down from King Khaled
International Airport the far north of the capital and has links to
Line One and Line Six. It will be a mix of shallow and over ground
track.
• Line Five, following King Abdulaziz Street, is to run deep
underground linking Lines Two and Three with eight stations in
between.
• Line Six, following Sheikh Hassan Bin Hussein Bin Ali and
Abdulrahman Bin Ouf Streets, runs from its connection in the south-
east with Line Three, roughly north-west to link with Line Two and
then swings in a westerly direction, linking with Line Four, with
which it then runs in parallel, to end at a junction with Line One.
Such a spectacular network is being given no less spectacular
stations. Nearly all of them will be 300 meters by 100 meters with
enclosed platforms and platform screen doors. Passengers will step
from the air-conditioned comfort of the station to the air-conditioned
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