Workers constructing the tunnel at Xietaizi Station (Photographed by Wang Cheng)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Many people may wonder how is the construction progress of Line 18. At present, Line 18 has started the construction of main body. Four TBM construction equipment are all set, which will start from Olympic Sports Center Station and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Station respectively, to further speed up the construction of Line 18.

Transfer to three lines achieved at Xietaizi Station via tunnels

The total length of Chongqing Rail Transit Line 18 (Fuhualu Station - Tiaodengnan Station) is 29.016 km. The civil construction project of Line 18, contracted by China Railway 15 Bureau Group Co., Ltd., mainly includes Xietaizi Station, the section from Fuhualu Station to Xietaizi Station, Fuhualu parking lot and the access section. The total length of this project is 2.557 km.

It’s said that Xietaizi Station is a transfer station, which will be connected to Line 1 and Line 5 under construction via tunnels.

Design sketch of Lijiatuo Double-tracking Bridge (Picture provided by the interviewee)

Information about Lijiatuo Double-track Bridge

The person in charge of the Construction Management Department of General Contracting Headquarters for Line 18 introduced that as the progress of construction, the construction of Line 18 has entered the main construction. Many sections of Line 18 will adopt TBM equipment for shield construction. At present, four TBM are all set and the construction will start from Olympic Sports Center Station and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Station respectively.

Lijiatuo Double-track Bridge and Baijusi Bridge on Line 18 are bridges for highway traffic and light-rail traffic. Lijiatuo Double-track Bridge is the first “long-spanned steel box girder cable-stayed bridge with asymmetric arrangement of the same layer of public rail” in China, which is also the key control project of Line 18.

“Lijiatuo Double-track Bridge is different from the bridge for highway traffic and light-rail traffic because buses and rail transits run on the same floor.” The person in charge said that at present, the construction of Lijiatuo Double-track Bridge proceeds orderly and the pier construction is started.

Line 18 to be completed in 2023 and connected to several rail transits

It is reported that 19 stations will be arranged on Line 18. They respectively are Fuhualu station, Xietaizi Station, Olympic Sports Center Station, Shipingqiao Station, Yangjiaping Station, Tanzikou Station, Huangjueping Station, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Station, Power Plant Station, Second Lijiatuo Yangtze River Bridge Station, Waihepingbei Station, Waihepingnan Station, Jianjiacao Station, Qiezixi Station, Baijusi Station, Funiuxi Station, Jin’aoshan Station, Tiaodeng Station, Tiaodengnan Station (All are tentative names).

There will be eight transfer stations on Line 8, which will be connected to Line 1, Line 2, lines under construction (Line 5 and Line 9), lines planned (Line 12, Line 24 and Line 25). According to the construction progress, Line 18 is expected to be completed and operated in 2023. (Translated by Mao Qiao, Fathom Language Limited)