The long-awaited Bogotá metro project

By Daniel Nicolas Gonzalez Sanchez

2021
 1. General overview

Bogota Metro Line one, Section one (PLMB) is a

23.96km-long elevated mass rapid transit (MRT) line to
be built in Bogota, Columbia.

Empresa Metro de Bogota (Bogota Metro Company)

(EMB), a state-owned company, is responsible for the
implementation of the project.

APCA Transmimetro Consortium won the contract to

build the Bogota Metro line 1 project through an
international bidding process, in October 2019. The
$5.01bn project will be developed under the design‐
finance‐build‐operate‐maintain‐transfer (DFBOMT)
model. The franchise period for the project is 28 years.

The consortium comprises China Harbour Engineering

Company (CHEC), Xi’an Metro Company, and
Bombardier.

Upon completion, the Bogota Metro line 1 project will be

the main transit line for the public and a major passenger transportation system in the city.

The project will contribute to the social and economic development of the city and generate job opportunities. It forms part
of a wider plan to enhance Bogota’s mass transit network to enable the availability of mass transit network within a distance
of 1km from the homes of the inhabitants by 2050.

The metro rail project is in the pre-construction phase and construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2020.
The commissioning of Line 1 is expected to take place during the fourth quarter of 2025.
 2. Identification of key stakeholders and stakeholder mapping

The preliminary design phase of

the Bogota metro line was completed in
2016. The pre‐construction phase involves
land acquisition, transfer of utility networks,
construction of railyard, and other
preliminary works. The construction phase
will cover the installation of the viaduct,
systems, rolling stock, rails,
telecommunications, electrical, control,
and 22km of bike lanes. Works to be
carried out under the project will include
the intervention of certain sections of
TransMilenio bus rapid transit (BRT)
system, improvements to 600,000m² of
public spaces for pedestrian use, civil
works, and construction of new BRT
stations. PLMB will also include two more
sections, with the second section planned to be completed by 2030 and the final phase by 2050.

The Bogota Metro line one will be developed to improve access to employment and provide quality transit for users of public
transportation in the city. It will serve as the backbone of a larger metro network and improve connectivity between the city
centre and the northern and southern districts of Bogota. The metro rail system will reduce traffic congestion and help
increase the productivity of the capital city and country. PLMB is expected to encourage users of cars and motorcycles to
shift to a cleaner mass transit mode and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will be powered by electricity, allowing the
reduction of pollution. Based on estimates, the metro will reduce 938,000 tonnes of GHG emissions by 2049. The line is
projected to benefit 2.92 million people in the region. The integration of the line with the public transport network will decrease
travel time and increase demand for public transport.
 3. Analysis of the project's governance

Lines and routes:

Bogota Metro Line 1 will accommodate 72,000 passengers per hour in each direction. It will connect Bosa depot and 72nd
Street. The MRT system will have an initial capacity of 656,000 passengers per day, with the figure estimated to increase
to 1.55 million a day in 2050. It will pass through nine districts including Bosa, Teusaquillo, Kennedy, Puente Aranda,
Mártires, Antonio Nariño, Santa Fe, Barrios Unidos, and Chapinero.

The Line 1 will extend from Portal de las Américas to Avenida Caracas while connecting Avenida Villavicencio, Primero de
Mayo Avenue, Calle 8 Sur and Calle 1. It will then turn north on the Caracas Avenue to 78th street. The 25km-long elevated
metro line will be constructed on a U-shaped viaduct, which will be built with a height of 13.5m. PLMB will include 16 stations,
of which ten will be integrated with the BRT stations of the TransMilenio network. The average distance between each
station is expected to be 1.39km.

EMB’s Corporate Governance

Appointment of independent members of the Board of Directors:
• High standard criteria for appointments
• Fixed period: 5 years (renewable)
• Appointed out of three (3) candidates sent from:
• Colombian Society of Engineers (Nation elects)
• One university (Nation elects)
• ProBogotá-non profit organization (Bogotá’s Mayor elects)
Board of Directors’ role:
• Appraise General Manager’s performance and report to the Mayor of Bogotá.
• May request to the Mayor of Bogotá, the continuity or the removal of the General Manager when considered necessary.
• Propose to the Mayor of Bogotá, three candidates to replace the General Manager.
• Approve all changes to the by-laws.
 4. Identification of the key strategic project risks

A. Main Public Services Network early relocation

• Conflicts Identification (2017, completed)
• Agreements with utility companies (2017, completed)
• Design of solutions to move or replace the network (2018-I)
• Execution of new network (2018 II-2019)
B. Early Land Acquisition
• 129 critical properties in process, by Institute of Urban Development (2017-2019)
• 1333 properties acquired by EMB (2018-2020)
1. Urban Planning
Viaduct:
• Light structure to diminish the impact on public space
• Sheer
• Flat beam Bottom face
• Night ilumination over public space
Transit Oriented Design
• Station´s access buildings with new and wider sidewalks
• 10/16 stations integrated with Transmilenio BRT
 • Below the viaduct and along the line:
• Cycling Trails 22 km
• Pocket Parks
• Open space gyms
• 13 new Transmilenio BRT stations over Caracas Avenue
• 22 km of renewed roads

2. Environmental
Viaduct:
• U-shape to direct noise upwards
• Anti-noise panels
• Lead bearings supports
• Rails on plinth and elastic rail pads
Elevated Stations with Bio-Climatic architecture Access buildings with:
• Bike-parking
• E-Charging
• Green roof tops
Trains:
• Without air conditioning
 • Regenerative breaking for energy recovery
• Automatic acceleration and breaking (GoA4)
3. Opex Savings
Longer distance between stations = greater commercial speed
• Higher frequency with the same rolling stock
• Less energy consumption per passenger mobilized
• Less wear of the rolling stock
Less energy consumption due to its elevated railway system
• No need of ilumination during daytime
• No need of mechanical ventilation
• No need of water pumping
• Glass walls of the stations to enhance security
Third rail electric supply
Unattended train operation - UTO
Platform screen doors for higher realibility and safety
5. Propose 2 possible Work Breakdown Structures for this project

A. The Bogota Metro Line 1 section one is co-funded by the capital city and the national government. The financing
support for the project is supported by multilateral banks and institutions. As per a financing agreement, the District
of Bogota will provide $2.4bn over a 25 year-period, while the Colombian Government will contribute approximately
$5bn. Bogota is supporting the initial phase of the project with an initial contribution of $700m. EMB requested the
World Bank to provide a total of $600m for the construction of Bogota’s first metro line. The International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, which is administered by the World Bank, agreed to finance $70m of the total
amount for audits, technical studies and initial construction works of the viaduct. It will provide the remaining $530m
to fund the main construction works between 2022 and 2025. In August 2018, the European Investment Bank (EIB)
and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) agreed to provide $480m and $600m, respectively. Elevated
Railway Stations.
B. Contractors involved in Bogota metro rail project Systra conducted the preliminary studies of the metro line. The
company won a contract to provide project management of the design phase and construct the viaduct. CRRC
Changchun Railway Vehicles was awarded a contract to supply 210 GoA4 driverless subway vehicles. The contract
scope also includes maintenance of the vehicles for a period of 20 years. Project’s Schedule
6. Key lesson learned

 Temporary jobs will be created as part of the development of project activities in the different phases, benefiting both
the people hired and those located in the area of influence, to the degree that it will improve the income levels of
families, promoting an improvement in their quality of life and increasing the demand for goods and services.
 There will be an impact on the Los Héroes Monument, located at Calle 80 adjacent to the TransMilenio station, which
will generate public discontent. A specific program should be applied to this impact.
 The Metro project will provide occupants of the public space and those currently engaged in informal sales,
opportunities for formal work, and workshops and training in formalizing their businesses and business management
in order to improve the quality of life of this population group. Arenas for public participation will be promoted in the
different stages of the project in order to involve the community and the general public in the development of the
system.
 Programs and activities will be developed in both the resettlement plan and in the social management plan based on
the needs and characteristics of the population.
 The work will generate an impact on the people settled in the corridor during the pre-construction and construction
stages, which will mean the implementation of work management plans related to the information on the modifications
of the topics of mobility and safety, among others.
 The project will seek to promote changes in mobility habits in terms of promoting the use of alternative transportation
modes and the use of public transportation.