BUENOS AIRES plans to call bids later this year for a 9 km addition to the Subte metro. Expected to cost US$360 to US$450m, Line H would improve connections between the predominantly east-west routes, running under Avenida Jujuy and Avenida Pueyrredón before heading up Avenida Córdoba to the Cid Campeador monument. French consultancy Systra has been hired to undertake feasibility studies.
Subte concessionaire Metrovías had earlier suggested a 10 km expansion package. This comprised extension of Line A from Primera Junta to Flores for US$100m and a new north-south Line F costing around US$500m. A combination of state, city and Metrovías funding was envisaged by Managing Director Roberto Macías.
The city is currently funding extension of Line D from Carranza to Monroe, with stations at Virrey del Pinos and Juramento due to be finished in 1997 and 1998 respectively. Negotiations have begun for a further extension across the city limits to Vicente López, where the local authority plans to invest US$25m in a bus-metro interchange.
At the end of last year, Metrovías was finalising a US$200m finance package for 80 new metro cars for use on Line A. The Argentinian government has agreed to invest US$100m from a World Bank loan on infrastructure modernisation for the line. The remainder will go on construction of 20 bus-rail interchanges and elimination of 20 level crossings on suburban lines; the rail concessionaires are to remove another 30 crossings at their own expense. o
