On Thursday, May 16, the municipality's management inspected the long tram line 7 together with the builders, revealing that a new tram route between Ķengarags and Iļģuciems is likely to open this autumn, allowing residents to travel between the two parts of Rīga without having to change trams.
At first, those in charge claimed that the low-floor trams would start running to Ķengarags at the end of 2023 or early this year.
"It is a challenging project with many complications, difficult conditions and a rather tight deadline and large volumes to be completed in an urban environment," said Oskars Rikmanis, Director of the Construction Department at Binders, admitting that historic buildings and old underground utilities were the biggest problems.
All difficulties have now been overcome. The work is 95% done.
"It's a joint effort between the designer, the supervisor, the client, and the builder. I think it was a successful cooperation. So we have been able to do such a big job in what I think is a short time. We are now planning to complete the work within the new contract deadline, that is, by mid-June. I hope that people will be able to get the facility and use the new tram as promised," said Rikmanis.
From Centrāltirgus to Ķengarags, passengers will find 30 renovated stops, from which it will be more convenient to board the tram.
Riga Satiksme plans to launch the first low-floor tram to "Dole" around Midsummer.
The European Union is funding the bulk of the more than €22 million project, so a year ago the company was adamant that the facility had to be ready by March this year, but it wasn't. But the European funding will not be lost, explained Jānis Golubevs, a member of the board of Riga Traffic.
"We have 100% absorbed the funds. The deadline was extended for the European Union projects. Now the handover is until October. So we will definitely manage. All construction work should be finished in June. After that, there will be a technical process for the handover of the facility. As a result of the project, we will have saved just over €100,000, which I have to say is one of the few large projects [with savings]. For €22 million, a very precise estimate, very precise work. As a result, we have not really gone for an increase in expenditure, but there is a small saving in expenditure," Golubevs pointed out.
Active construction work is still ongoing in Pārdaugava on tram line 5 between Kalnciema Street and Jūrmalas Gatve. Rīgas Satiksme expects the work to be completed by the end of August.
