METRO authority Roma Metropolitane, on behalf of the city council, has awarded a €776m contract to design and build Section T1 of the driverless Line C to the Metro C consortium, led by Webuild and also including Vianini Lavori. Webuild says that its share of the contract is worth €268m.

Section T1 will run from Clodio/Mazzini to Farnesina in northeast Rome. Webuild says the extension will be built in an integrated manner with the 4km Section T2 from Venezia to Clodio/Mazzini, facilitating the continuation of mechanised excavation from Farensina to Venezia and avoiding fragmentation of the work programme.

Design work for Section T2 is in progress under a €2bn design and build contract awarded to the Metro C consortium last year. This section includes the first metro crossing under the River Tiber.

Work to build Venezia station is still in progress at the western end of the 3km Section T3 running from San Giovanini. A 2.4km section and the two intermediate stations at Porta Metronia and Colosseo/Fori Imperiali were officially opened on December 16.

Located between the Colosseum and the Basilica of Maxentius, Colosseo/Fori Imperiali reaches a maximum depth of 32m and has four underground levels with a direct connection to Colosseo station on Line B.

Porta Metronia is located in Piazzale Ipponio next to the Aurelian Walls, with five underground levels reaching a maximum depth of 30m below street level.

Webuild describes Line C as one of the most complex infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Rome. Work to build Colosseo/Fori Imperiali and Porta Metronia employed the top-down construction method developed specifically for stations in Rome’s historic centre. Intermediate slabs are installed progressively as excavation proceeds from top to bottom, ensuring structural stability and enabling archaeological investigation to continue as construction work proceeds.

When completed Line C will run for 29km from Monte Compatri/Pantano in the eastern suburbs to Farnesina, serving a total of 31 stations. A total of 24 stations are open to traffic between Monte Compatri/Pantano and Colosseo/Fori Imperiali.

“We are building a transport system that improves people’s lives, saves time lost in traffic and ensures cleaner air for future generations,” says Webuild chief executive, Pietro Salini.

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