The railway union formulated a different proposal to the Tranvía de la Costa announced weeks ago. The project is based on renovating a train line that already exists and that can unite Montevideo with Canelonesgoing through several stations.
The plan of the railway union (UF) has several stages. The first step is to reactivate a 20-kilometre stretch of railway on the Rocha line, from Parque del Plata Station to Empalme Olmos. there is would join Parque del Plata and Atlántida directly.
The union indicated that this option would not affect the bus companies, since they could connect with the stations to combine with the train with shorter routes.
Additionally, the UF proposes the laying of a route from Salinas to the Rocha line of 5 kilometers of extension that would allow a fast connection to Montevideowithout having to go back to Estación Atlántida or Parque del Plata.
A third step would be to connect Salinas with Pando with a laying of a branch of 12 kilometers of extension or a connection from Solymar to Joaquín Suárez of 10 kilometers that would pass through Barros Blancos. A fourth connection, mentioned by the union as the most ambitious, would be that of City of the Coast with Mangawith a laying of 17 kilometers.
railway union
Railway Union Project
The union said that these branches, which ascend from south to north or inclined from southeast to northwest, would imply adding kilometers to the route but would be offset by the average speed of the train compared to congested traffic at peak hours.
He added that to these works, and with the aim of making arrival in the capital faster and more efficient, a service could be incorporated from Sauce to Toledo, with connection to Montevideo. It would imply the renewal of 11 kilometers of track.
The Rocha line reaches the capital of that department. The UF mentioned that a total renovation of this line would open passenger transport to the entire seaside area and also connection to forest and rice fields.
The union president, washington sanchezsaid to The Observer that the proposal is to renew a line that already exists and for this reason, the cost would be much less than the construction of a new railway line.
He indicated that the Rocha line passes through the north side of the Interbalnearia route. “That’s why it shouldn’t be broken. It is a stretch that is done; you have to renew it with new sleepers, with rails that must be missing. But the cost would be much lower than what is proposed, ”he said.
Sánchez recalled the congestion generated by the construction of the tracks for the Central Railway in the accesses to Montevideo. “And he did not touch main arteries like Avenida Italia or 18 de Julio. (With the Tranvía de la Costa) they are going to split the city ”, he affirmed.
The vice president of the union, Mariano Pouso, reported that if the cost per kilometer of the Central Railroad project were taken as a reference, the union’s proposal would have a approximate value of US$184 million. That would include a 36-kilometre journey for the train.
The estimated cost for the Tranvía de la Costa is US$ 500 million for a 35 kilometer route.
