State of SP releases bidding rules for monorail construction
Valor Econômico
The Government of Sao Paulo shall publish today the rules for the international bidding for the construction of the monorail that will extend Line 2 - Green lien of the subway, connecting the Station of Vila Madalena to the Ipiranga station, in the capital. The value of the cost estimated by Metrô-SP (the São Paulo Metropolitan Subway Company) amounts to R$ 2.1 billion (US$ 1.22 billion), with nearly R$ 1 billion (US$ 581.4 million) at the cost of the municipal administration of Sao Paulo and the rest of the funds for the account of the State Government. Despite the budget forecasting, the public bid will be won by the consortium that present the project with the smallest cost. The bidders have up to December 22 to submit their bids.
According to Sérgio Correa Brasil, Officer of Corporate Affairs of the Subway of São Paulo, the monorail model was chosen because it is the model that causes the lesser environmental, visual and sound impact, besides requiring minimum expropriation and not interfering in car traffic, since it stays between 12 and 15 meters up above the ground. Some competitors claim they can build the monorail within just 28 months. The average speed will be 40 km/h, but it may increase according to the project. Correa Brasil says the monorail buries the projects of expansion of the Tiradentes Express (projected under the name of "Fura-Fila", or Quick Queue) in the current model of Light Rail Vehicle (LRV). The monorail is more city friendly, explains the Officer.
23.8 km of line, 54 trains and platforms in three different segments will be bid for conclusion until 2013. 48,000 passengers shall be transported in every direction every hour, getting to 510 thousand passengers a day. Every train shall have minimum capacity for one thousand passengers and 90 meters of maximum length. The first segment to be built will be shortest, with 2.4 kilometers between the subway station of Vila Prudente - where the expansion works of Line 2 are already underway - and the station of Oratório. This first segment should be ready in 2011. The second segment, of 10.4 km of length, will get until São Mateus and should be ready in 2012. And the last segment, of 11 km until Cidade Tiradentes, should be concluded in 2013, foresees Correa Brasil.
He points out this bidding is not for a concession, because the daily operation will be performed by the Subway company itself. Therefore, the bids should provide for the training of the team of the Subway Company in the operation of the type of vehicle. Nonetheless, a possible concession of the system in the future is not completely ruled out, he said. According to Correa Brasil, four companies from different countries have shown interest in participating in the bidding.
The monorail stations - 17 stations are foreseen for the 3 segments - have not been included in this bidding because they are of simpler conception and there may be more competitors in a separate bidding, explains the officer. According to Correa Brasil, the bidding rules for the modal system that will connect the region of Morumbi to the airport of Congonhas should be released within 15 days and it was extended in order to be connected to Line 4 - Yellow Line of the Subway besides connecting to the bus terminal of Morumbi. This modal system will also be the monorail and will have a total length of 21.5 km.