July deadline for bids on Portuguese metro

Illustration of the proposed bridge over the Douro River in Porto. Image: Porto Metro

The contract, with an estimated value of €370 million, calls for the construction of a 6.3km line, along with eight stations and a new bridge over the Douro River.

The proposed bridge, to be located between the Massarelos/Campo Alegre area and Arrábida, is expected to have a total length of 835m and be constructed at a height of 70m above river level.

The total cost of the new Ruby line is estimated at €435 million, with €299 million to be covered by funds from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Metro do Porto said the new line could bring 12 million new passengers to the metro system, potentially contributing, in its first year of operation, to a 12,000 tonne reduction in CO2 emissions.

Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, the mayor of Gaia – the southern municipality of Porto which will benefit from the new metro line – said “This is one of the most important works for urban mobility in our region. Leveraging the use of public transport in essential areas of our cities, capturing passengers for the system and fulfilling social and environmental goals are essential,”.

The mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, added, “It is not possible achieve carbon neutrality in 2030 if we are not able to find a replacement for individual transport.”