The environmental commission of Valparaíso has approved the extension of the Metrotren project, valued at US$800 million, which will connect the cities of Quillota and La Calera.

The railway extension that will connect Quillota and La Calera, in the Valparaíso Region, received its environmental approval this Tuesday morning. The Environmental Assessment Committee (Coeva) of Valparaíso unanimously approved the project led by EFE Trenes de Chile, which involves an investment of US$811 million and will extend the Valparaíso Metro. The initiative will provide a public service to transport passengers along an additional 26 kilometers, starting from the Quillota municipality, passing through Quillota, La Cruz, and reaching La Calera. The company estimates that the travel time on the new transportation line will be approximately 28 minutes. Map of the project. Regarding the Valparaíso Metro stations, the railway project includes the construction of five new stations. In parallel, the Limache station will be expanded, and the La Calera station will be renovated. Of the new stations, three are located in the Quillota municipality: San Pedro, Quillota Sur, and Quillota Centro. One station is located in the La Cruz municipality, and will bear the same name. Another station is located in the La Calera municipality, and will be called Guerra. Construction Stages According to the Consolidated Evaluation Report (ICE), which received a favorable recommendation from the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA), EFE had estimated that the project would be approved in January of this year, but that deadline was postponed by about four months. Now, the company plans to complete the construction phase of the initiative in December 2028. With this, the company anticipates that the public transportation service will be operational on this extension from January 2029. In total, the company considered three electrical substation rectification substations, one in Limache, one in Quillota, and one in the La Cruz municipality. In addition, a high-voltage electrical substation is planned, located in the Quillota municipality, and will be adjacent to an existing high-voltage substation. A significant aspect of the project is the construction of a new tunnel between Limache and San Pedro, which will be 715 meters long and located approximately 50 meters from the existing railway tunnel in the San Pedro area. This will involve 243 controlled explosions, and a construction method involving excavation, support, and lining, as well as machinery and auxiliary equipment. NEWSLETTER Pulso PM Monday to Friday, 12:30 PM The most relevant news in markets, companies, and business: timely information, context, and content to make better decisions. By subscribing, you accept the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policies of La Tercera.