HM the King Launches Line 2 Extension Project of Rabat-Salé Tramway
SM le Roi lance le projet d’extension de la ligne 2 du tramway de Rabat-Salé
HM King Mohammed VI launched, Monday in Salé, the line 2 extension project of the Rabat-Salé tramway that stretches over 7 kilometres for 1.7 billion dirhams.
This project is in line with goals of the 2014-2018 Rabat Development Integrated Program dubbed “Rabat City of Light, Moroccan Culture Capital” and mirrors the steadfast will of HM the King to turn the cities of Rabat and Salé into urban mega-metropolises. It comes following the huge success of the Rabat-Salé tramway since its launch on May 18, 2011, and to meet the growing demand for mobility and transportation and for urban and social upgrading.
The line 2 extension project of the Rabat-Salé tramway will reinforce connection between Rabat and its twin city Salé and with other means of transportation, improve trip conditions in remote neighbourhoods, foster the public transportation network, mainly environment-friendly ones and redevelop state land along the tram route.
The extension, to be operational by July 2019, will provide services for four densely-populated neighbourhoods (nearly 400,000 inhabitants).
In addition to the 2.4km Rabat section, the extension will also include the construction of four tram stops and the urban upgrading of the Yaacoub El Mansour neighbourhood with the creation of three green areas and community parks.
As for the 4.6km Salé section, it will comprise the building of eight tram stations, the construction of 390-meter tram civil engineering works “Bridge on Ain Houala Avenue” (7.5m in height, 11.8m in width), and an underground road.
To back up this extension project, 22 new trams will be purchased.
The project is mainly funded by the Support Fund for Urban Transportation Reforms (Interior and Economy ministries) and via loans by the French development agency and the European Investment Bank.
Other extension projects for lines 1 and 2 of the Rabat-Salé tramway are being studied.
Within six years, the Rabat-Salé tramway had carried around 110,000 peoples daily, a total of 164 million travellers since its launch. It had contributed to creating 400 new stable jobs and slashing CO2 by 10,000 tons yearly.
According to a dispatch MAP
