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The São Paulo Metro will have one of the largest underground projects ever seen in Latin America. The new station will generate around 9 jobs and more than R$18 billion in investments.
The subway of São Paulo is about to gain a station that will leave many impressed, both for its depth and the economic impact it will generate.
When the long-awaited Vila Penteado station is finally completed, residents of the northern part of the city will face a dizzying descent, equivalent to the height of a 24-story building, before reaching the train.
However, behind this vertical journey, there is a monumental story of billion-dollar investments and thousands of jobs created, which promise to transform the region's mobility and economy.
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The deepest station in Latin America
With a depth of 67 meters, the new station on line 6-Laranja of the São Paulo subway, called Itaberaba-Hospital Vila Penteado, will be the deepest in all of Latin America.
For comparison purposes, its depth is 26 meters greater than that of Santa Cruz station, currently the deepest in operation on the São Paulo subway.
The construction of line 6, with 15 stations along 15,3 km, promises to revolutionize transportation in the city, connecting the north zone to the center and transporting around 630 thousand passengers daily.
The magnitude of the work is also impressive in terms of numbers.
According to Linha Uni, the consortium responsible for the construction, The station will have an area of 15.191 m², distributed over 12 floors and will have 22 escalators.
Roberto Racanicchi, a specialist in reinforced concrete, highlighted that the volume of concrete used in this construction is at least three times greater than that of a conventional 67-meter-high building, size equivalent to the depth of the station.
Underground challenges and the impact on the economy
Building at such great depths, however, is no easy task. Racanicchi explains that the difficulties go beyond the size of the work.
The soil, composed of different layers of rigidity and the presence of groundwater, require complex engineering solutions.
“The deeper the excavation, the more complex and expensive the work becomes,” says the engineer, highlighting the need for a diverse team of professionals, including geologists and mining and mechanical engineers, to ensure the success of the project.
The Uni Line confirms these challenges, highlighting that the high water table in the region, as well as the need to cross large structures, such as the Tietê River, increase the complexity of the construction.
Another point that contributes to the depth is the integration of the new line with the existing ones, such as lines 1-Blue and 4-Yellow.
Furthermore, geotechnical problems not identified in previous phases of the work delayed the schedule.
Initially scheduled for completion in 2025, line 6 could face a delay of up to 1.096 days, postponing its inauguration until 2028.
The economic impact: job openings and billion-dollar investments
The grandeur of the project lies not only in the depths of the subway, but also in the economic impact it will generate.
The works on line 6 already directly employ around 9 thousand people, a significant number that alleviates unemployment in the capital of São Paulo.
These jobs are just a part of the gigantic investment of R$ 18 billion, destined for the construction of this line, which is considered the largest infrastructure project underway in Latin America.
This massive investment is the result of a public-private partnership (PPP) between the state government and the Linha Uni consortium.
The forecast is that, in addition to improving public transport and reducing travel time, The line also brings long-term economic benefits, both through job creation and increased productivity by facilitating travel between important regions of the city.
A distant but impressive record
Although it is the deepest station in Latin America, Itaberaba-Hospital Vila Penteado is still far from breaking the world depth record.
Arsenalna station, located in Kiev, Ukraine, reaches an impressive 105 meters, remaining the deepest in the world.
The promise for the future
Despite delays and challenges encountered during the excavation, The promise is that line 6-Laranja will change the way people from São Paulo travel, especially those who live in the north zone.
With the recent progress in the works and the meeting of the tunnels in the Brasilândia region, the government of São Paulo believes that the first eight stations on the line are expected to be ready by 2026, improving the city's public transport and benefiting thousands of people every day.
However, the question that remains is: will the geotechnical challenges and investments continue to grow, further delaying the completion of this grand project?
