Construction of a new means of public transportation - an intercity light express railway -- is due to begin in St Petersburg in 2008. It will connect five southern districts of the city.

St Petersburg government endorsed a resolution Tuesday to begin project-making for the intercity railway line.

Its first turn will have the length of about 26.5 km and will mostly be located on overpasses. This will help separate the intercity express trains from street transport.

The line will begin in the new residential area of Baltiyskaya Zhemchuzhina /The Baltic Gem/, in the process of construction now, and will end at Obukhovo metro station.

In the future, the intercity railway will be extended to the St Petersburg University campus in Peterhoff, west of the city, and branched out to Pulkovo airport.

The first turn of the line is supposed to have 14 stations and to carry 52.5 million passengers a year. Trains will travel at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour, while now other means of public transport have an operating speed of about 15 kilometers per hour on the average.

Feasibility study of the financial part of the project has been completed, Maxim Sokolov, the chairman of the city's committee for investment and strategic projects said Tuesday.

Work on the intercity railway's project documentation is expected to be over by this September, after which construction works may begin.

News source: railway-market.pl
Print this news