Naples Metro Inaugurates First Section of Line 6On 11th January, 2007 Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi inaugurated in Naples the first section, running from Mergellina to Mostra d'Oltremare (four out of eight stations, see blue alignment on map), on Line 6 of the metro, built on the ashes of the old LRT project. What was supposed to be a surface tram line became an underground rail line in the wake of the Tangentopoli scandal in the early 1990s. When completed, the line will basically connect, from east to west, the city centre in Piazza Municipio to Fuorigrotta. Construction recommenced in the summer of 2005 to upgrade and complete the tunnel infrastructure already built and to construct four new stations on the line (Mergellina, Lala, Augusto and Mostra). Therefore, Line 6 travels through the tunnels and stations already planned and built in the 1990s in the Fuorigrotta subsoil. The section just opened is scheduled to open to commercial service soon. In Mergellina and Mostra, the line will connect with Line 2 Gianturco-Pozzuoli. By 2009-2011, a fully underground line is planned until Piazza Municipio, where an interchange station with Line 1 and the harbour will be built, while the LRT was an all-surface line. The value of the civil works on the Mostra-Municipio section amounts to EUR374 million. On 17th December, 2002 an agreement was signed that amended the contract of 19th July, 1986 to set the base for completion of the Mostra-Mergellina-San Pasquale section. The value of the civil works of this segment is EUR156 million. Completion of the 1,972 m-long Mostra-Mergellina, as part of the amended contract, was achieved by consortium ROBUR, in which Torno Internazionale holds 42%. To complete the civil works of this stretch, EUR54 million was invested. Visit www.torno.comThe total length of the dual-track line is approximately 5.5 km long. The main civil works are as follows: rolling stock depot; eight stations (Mostra, Augusto, Lala, Mergellina, Arco Mirelli, San Pasquale, Chiaia and Municipio); 2 kilometres of cut-and-cover tunnel; and 3,150 metres of bored tunnel. Tunnelling towards Municipio was done by means of a TBM while the cut-and-cover method (diaphragm walls and cover slab) was used towards Mostra. The cut-and-cover technique was used for the tunnels built between Augusto and Lala (about 1.6 km) while the tunnels were bored between Lala and Mergellina, with a TBM for the last 250 metres. There are two side platforms for better escape in emergency and at about halfway on the alignment between two neighbouring stations, tunnel ventilation shafts are planned. The 1,519 m-long Mergellina-San Pasquale section is under construction. The San Pasquale-Municipio section will be 1,558 m long. A western extension is envisaged from Mostra to Campi Flegrei, which would add another station in Arsenale, with a possible further expansion to Coroglio and Bagnoli. Until 20th February, 2007 an exhibition, in the wonderful location of Castel dell'Ovo, shows the projects of the stations under construction of the Naples metro by means of plastic models and audiovisual devices. Click here. Visit www.linea6.com, www.presidente.campania.it/index.cfm?m=12&sm=12&id=1318 and www.orcaloca.it/metronapoli/linea6.php 05/07.