Ministry extends intermodal stations' bidding deadline

Chile's public works ministry has extended bidding to build and operate two intermodal transfer stations in Santiago to December, a spokesperson from the ministry's concessions department told BNamericas. One of the stations will be built at Quinta Normal, the northern terminus of a 1.93km extension of the city's Metro line 5, at a cost of US$25mn. The other station will be built in La Cisterna, southern terminus of the extended Metro line 2, as well as that of a future complementary stretch of Line 4 that is under construction. This station will cost US$20mn. Technical offers for Quinta Normal and La Cisterna will be opened December 16 and 23, and economic offers January 27 and 29, respectively, said the spokesperson. The original dates had been September 30 and October 30, and October 7 and November 6. The spokesperson said there is still no timetable for the launch of a bidding process for two additional stations for Las Rejas and Recoleta. These works are estimated to cost US$50mn. The stations are an integral component of Santiago's US$1.62bn urban transport plan Transantiago, which aims to create a modern integrated bus and subway network by 2005, which is expected to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.