Trams on the cheap – Part 2

Another news item from the Light Rail Transit Association (www.lrta.org), dispels the myth that light-rail or streetcars are very expensive to build. Here we have 5 km. of double track, including overhead, costing EUR 15 million or EUR 3 million per km. to build. In Canadian funds, EUR 15 million = CAD $27.75 million or $5.55 million per km. to build. Compare this with the proposed Surrey SkyTrain extension which is expected to cost well over $100 million per km. to build!

Helsinki grows : Sunday 10 August saw the opening of Helsinki’s first new tramline for 17 years. The new route 9 includes five km of new double track which cost EUR 15 million to build, and links Kaartinkaupunki in the city centre with the northern suburb of Pasila via Kallio and Alppila. It means the HKL tram network has reached its largest length since 1959. More new tracks are under construction in the Kamppi area, where route 3 will serve a new alignment in 2009.

13 August 2008