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West Link

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Westlink.
Västlänken
Overview
LineVästkustbanan
LocationGothenburg, Sweden
StatusUnder construction
SystemWest Coast Line
StartOlskroken east of Göteborg C
EndAlmedal south of Liseberg
No. of stations3
Operation
OpensLate 2026 (Centralen station)
2030 (Full)
OwnerTrafikverket
CharacterPassenger trains
Technical
Line length290 km
Track length8 km
No. of tracksDouble
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrified15 kV  16.7 Hz AC

The West Link (Swedish: Västlänken) is a railway project under construction in Gothenburg, Sweden. It consists of 8 kilometres (5 mi) of railway, including 6 kilometres (4 mi) of tunnel, including three new underground stations: Centralen, Haga and Korsvägen.[4][5][6] The purpose of the project is to increase capacity and reduce travel times for commuter and regional trains.[7]

The Centralen section of the West Link is set to open in December 2026, while the rest of the tunnel is planned to be ready for traffic by December 2030.[8][9]

Background

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The West Link project was initiated to address capacity issues at Gothenburg Central Station, which operates as a terminus with no room for additional trains during peak hours. This limitation has obstructed efforts to expand train services, as well as to construct a new railway to Borås, the second-largest city in the region, which is currently linked to Gothenburg primarily by dense bus services.

Of the 1.02 million people (2018) who live in Greater Gothenburg (1.7 million in Västra Götaland County), 450,000 people live outside the Gothenburg municipality.[10] Approximately 175,000 people in the region commute to or from Gothenburg Municipality daily.[11]

The project forms part of the West Swedish Financing Package (Västsvenska Paketet) and is expected to cost between 24.1 and 27.1 billion SEK (2009 price levels).[7] Construction involves rock blasting through bedrock and excavation in clay, with ongoing installation of tracks, overhead power systems, signalling, and telecommunications infrastructure.[7] Initially planned to open fully by 2026, the West Link is now expected to be completed by December 2030.[9]

Similar tunnels in Sweden's other main cities include the City Tunnel, completed in Malmö in 2010,[12] and the City Line, completed in Stockholm in 2017.[13]

History

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Planning process

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As early as the 1950s there were plans for a tunnel under the inner city for railbound vehicles, then for trams. The plans were abandoned because of the cost, due to the high water table and ground conditions, which were unsuitable for tunnelling. The city has to finance tramways, while the government finances railways.

The planning process has taken a long time, being included in preliminary city plans in the mid 90s under the project name "Centrumtunneln". A feasibility study was conducted in 2001–2002 by Banverket in cooperation with Västra Götalandsregionen, Västtrafik, Göteborgsregionen, and the city of Gothenburg. Similar rail tunnel projects have already been implemented in Malmö and in Stockholm.

Västlänken is not part of the Trafikverket Future plan (swe: Framtidsplan) 2004–2015, nor the alternative plan. Construction could start earlier since the Västra Götaland Regional Council is willing to invest money in the project.[14]

Routes

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Banverket investigated three routes for Västlänken, including new stations along the routes in the city centre. The route alternatives were named after the proposed new stations: Haga–Korsvägen, Haga–Chalmers, and Korsvägen. In addition to these underground alternatives, an expansion of the current rail network to the south, with a larger terminus station, was also investigated, named Förstärkningsalternativet (English: the reinforcement alternative).[citation needed]

On 19 December 2007, Banverket chose the Haga-Korsvägen alternative as it best fulfilled the goals for the expansion.[15] A majority of other governmental bodies to which the proposed routes were referred for consideration also agreed on that opinion.[citation needed]

Construction

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West Link under construction, summer of 2020
Movement of trees in preparation for construction, November 2017
Preparations in May 2019 for blasting of a work tunnel next to the Chalmers Tunnel at Södra Vägen.

The official construction start ceremony took place on 30 May 2018.[16]

In September 2023, the estimated completion date was delayed to around 2030,[17][18] with construction of the Haga section stalled due to slow progress and the contract re-let. There have been objections by the operator of the Paddan tour boats to the proposal to shut the canal for three years in order to facilitate the work.[19]

Progress in 2024 included the completion of concrete casting at Centralen, with installation work beginning. The Kvarnberget tunnel was finished, and surface areas were handed back over to Gothenburg Municipality. In Haga, construction resumed after delays, with three contracts awarded and work restarting in key areas. At Korsvägen, the tunnel's excavation was completed, and concrete work advanced on the station and connecting tunnels.[20]

Financing

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West Link is a part of the West Sweden Package (Swedish: Västsvenska paketet) an infrastructure funding initiative in western Sweden. Established in 2010, other major projects included in the package are the Marieholm road tunnel, the Hisingen Bridge, and the burying of the E45 motorway in central Gothenburg.[21]

As of 2023, the total construction cost for the project was estimated at SEK 36.5 billion (approx. €1.8 billion).[22][23] Almost half of the funding for the West Sweden Package comes from the Swedish state, which contributes approximately 47% of the total cost, while Gothenburg Municipality provides around 3.4%. Västra Götaland Region and Region Halland jointly contribute about 2.7%, and an additional 2.1% is financed through the realisation of land values.[24] The Gothenburg congestion tax accounts for approximately 38.4% of the total funding.[24]

Financing from congestion tax, introduced in January 2013, has been a source of controversy. A non-binding referendum was held in Gothenburg Municipality in September 2014, in which 57% of respondents voted to abolish the tax.[25] However, it remains in place as part of the financing strategy for the West Sweden Package.[26][27]

Centralstaden

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As part of the West Link project, Jernhusen, Sweden's state-owned railway real estate company, is developing the surrounding railway land into Centralstaden, an urban area surrounding the new Centralen station.[28]

The development includes approximately 140,000 square metres (1,500,000 sq ft) of leasable space, primarily for offices, but with potential for residential, retail, and cultural uses.[29] Notable buildings in the area include Park Central, a 30,000-square-metre (320,000 sq ft) office complex, and Gothenburg Grand Central, a 15,000-square-metre (160,000 sq ft) building that will house the main entrance to Centralen station, along with 1,400 square metres (15,000 sq ft) of retail space and 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) of office space.[30][31]

The Centralstaden plan features six high-rise buildings, with the tallest reaching 130 metres (430 ft).[32] The area is part of Gothenburg Municipality's Vision Älvstaden urban development.[33]

Art

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Art on building fence

Trafikverket (the Swedish Department of Transportation) are hosting a public art project from 2018 through 2026 to make the building fences less of a negative intrusion in the city.[34][35] There are 8 kilometres (5 mi) of building fences during the construction period, 2.8–4 metres (9–13 ft) high.[36] Trafikverket publicly asked artists to submit ideas and presentations of artworks that could be part of the project.[37] The first 2 artworks were created in 2018.[38] The big start was in 2019.[35] There are or will be artworks in Centralen, Kanaltorget, Sankt Eriksgatan, Västa Sjöfarten, Packhusplatsen, Skeppsbron, Södra Hamngatan, Rosenlund, Haga, Pustervik, Linnéplatsen, och Korsvägen.[34] The project is called Planksidan.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Radio, Sveriges (17 May 2022). "Västlänken kan försenas med fyra år – och fördyras". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  2. ^ Näslund, Lars; Ingemarsson, Jenny (31 August 2023). "Ny prognos: Västlänken försenas med flera år – fördyras med sex miljarder". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ^ Siljevall, Anders (31 August 2023). "Nya prognosen: Så försenad och så mycket dyrare blir Västlänken". Byggindustrin (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Om Västlänken - Göteborgs Stad". archive.is. 5 December 2024. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Korrigeringar och nya utmaningar väntar när Västlänkens pausade entreprenad återstartas". www.infrastrukturnyheter.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Bygget av Västlänken går både enligt och inte enligt plan". dagensinfrastruktur (in Swedish). 25 January 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Trafikverket (5 September 2023). "Västlänken". Trafikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  8. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (27 November 2024). "Västlänken klar först till jul – år 2030". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b Johnsson, Peter (31 August 2023). "Västlänken försenas tre till sex år". Järnvägar.nu. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Folkmängd i riket, län och kommuner 31 mars 2018 och befolkningsförändringar 1 januari–31 mars 2018". Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Antal pendlare per län och kommun, 2017" [Number of commuters per county and municipality]. Statistiska Centralbyrån (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  12. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (4 December 2010). "Minutsnabb premiärfärd i frostbiten Citytunnel". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  13. ^ "The Stockholm City Line". Trafikverket. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  14. ^ Andree, Lasse (7 November 2008). "Västlänken kan startas med regionpengar" (in Swedish). Göteborgs-Posten. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  15. ^ "Banverket väljer alternativ Haga-Korsvägen för Västlänken" (in Swedish). Banverket. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
  16. ^ Nyheter, SVT (30 May 2018). "Första spadtaget för Västlänken". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Ny prognos: Västlänken försenas med flera år". SvD.se (in Swedish). 31 August 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  18. ^ Näslund, Lars; Ingemarsson, Jenny (30 September 2022). "Nya dokument varnar: Västlänken riskerar bli klar först hösten 2030". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  19. ^ Appelqvist, Simon (11 September 2023). "Vill stänga kanalen i tre år – för bygget av Västlänken". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  20. ^ Trafikverket (28 September 2021). "Västlänkens viktigaste 2024". Trafikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  21. ^ Trafikverket. "Västsvenska paketet". Trafikverket (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  22. ^ Nyheter, SVT (31 August 2023). "Ny prognos: Västlänken kan bli sex år försenad". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Västlänken i Göteborg blir många år förenad och 20-35 procent dyrare än planerat". Fastighetstidningen (in Swedish). 27 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  24. ^ a b "Västsvenska paketet" (PDF). 31 August 2016.
  25. ^ Radio, Sveriges (12 October 2014). "Göteborgarna sa nej - käftsmällen som kom som en kalldusch - Kaliber". www.sverigesradio.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  26. ^ Nyheter, SVT (23 September 2014). "Kritik mot Västlänken gav personkryss". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  27. ^ Larsson, Arne (11 March 2015). "Trängselskatten blir kvar - beslut i kommunstyrelsen". Göteborgs Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  28. ^ "Bakgrund och vision". centralstadengoteborg.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  29. ^ "Grönt ljus för Jernhusens 140.000 kvm i Göteborg | Fastighetsvärlden". www.fastighetsvarlden.se (in Swedish). 30 April 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  30. ^ "Peab bygger ut Göteborg central". SvD.se (in Swedish). 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Peab bygger stationshus för 870 miljoner". Byggindustrin (in Swedish). 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Ny "höghusstad" vid Göteborgs central får byggas – men domstolen oenig". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 30 April 2024. ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  33. ^ "Ny detaljplan godkänd – viktig milstolpe för framtiden". centralstadengoteborg.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Planksidan - Kreativa aktiviteter på Västlänkens byggplank (The plank side - Creative activities on Västlänken's building plank)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  35. ^ a b Björk, Johannes (2 July 2019). "Recension: "Planksidan" – Konsten på Västlänkens byggplank". Göteborgs-Posten.
  36. ^ Moberg, Carl Petersson (28 January 2019). "Så ska åtta kilometer Västlänksplank livas upp". Göteborgs-Posten.
  37. ^ "Trafikverket söker konstnärer till Västlänkens plank". 17 January 2019.
  38. ^ Göteborg, Spike Brewery till ölmässan i; Kviberg, Konsten tar plats i; lyssnaren, Funk-Viol vill inte fjäska för. "Linnéplatsen ska prydas med konstverk". NÖJESGUIDEN.

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