A Bus Rapid Transit project for SYSTRA in Colombia

The Carrera Séptima, one of Bogotá’s main thoroughfares, is about to become home to a Bus Rapid Transit corridor, the ‘Corredor Verde’. This north-south artery crosses the city centre, the business district and numerous tourist sites. SYSTRA Subterra will be fully mobilised to supervise the integration of the BRT and its dedicated infrastructure.

We are very proud of this success. This new contract represents a major step forward in the development of an inclusive, integrated and sustainable mobility offer in the Bogotá metropolitan region.

Pilar Aguillon, Head of SYSTRA Subterra in Colombia

This BRT project is a first for SYSTRA Subterra, which for the first time will cover the preliminary works and supervision phases for the construction of a bus corridor. This will provide us with a key reference for future similar contracts in the country, where BRT is very popular. This contract is in line with SYSTRA’s business strategy, which aims to position itself across the entire transport sector, including civil engineering.

A corridor involving multiple disciplines

SYSTRA Subterra is taking part in the project in a consortium with two Colombian engineering companies* specialising in this type of project, working for IDU, the Instituto de Desarollo Urbano, which manages Bogotá’s urban road infrastructure. For 44 months, we will be working successively on the preparation and supervision of the works.

The project will include a 2×2 lane platform for buses, stations, mixed lanes for road traffic, separate cycle paths and the development of urban public spaces all along the route. In all, almost 2 million Bogotá residents will be able to benefit from this new corridor.

Among the challenges during the works phase, the topography of Carrera Séptima makes its development complex, particularly in terms of civil engineering and geotechnical engineering. The development of the intersection between Calle 134 and Carrera Séptima will also be highly technical, with geotechnical work and the rerouting of underground networks in a narrow, densely built-up area.

SYSTRA on the Colombian market

With projects carried out in Colombia since the 1960s, SYSTRA is a key player in the development of public transport in the country. In recent years, our teams have been involved in the creation of the Bogotá metro system, with preliminary studies for line 1 and its extension, and construction studies for line 2. Outside the capital, the Group is also involved in mobility plans and studies for cable cars and tram-trains in Cali, Cartagena and Medellin.

Over the last ten years, SYSTRA Subterra has also been involved in the construction of numerous tunnels for the 4G motorway network, which is changing the time and cost of transporting people and goods in this country.