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Blue Line (Lagos Rail Mass Transit)

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Blue Line
Overview
StatusOperational
Termini
  • Marina
  • Miles 2
Stations13 (5 operational, 8 under construction)
Service
TypeUrban rail transit in China Rapid transit
SystemLagos Metro
History
Commenced2009; 15 years ago (2009)
OpenedSeptember 4, 2023; 14 months ago (2023-09-04)
Last extensionSeptember 4, 2023; 14 months ago (2023-09-04)
Technical
Line length27 km (17 mi)
Number of tracks2
CharacterFully Elevated and At-Grade
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

The Blue Line is an electric rapid transit line that runs in Lagos, Nigeria.[1] It is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit system run by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.

The first phase with five stations and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of track opened on 4 September 2023.[2] The full line is set to be 27 kilometres (17 mi) and is expected to carry 500,000 passengers a day.[3]

The line's trains are made by CRRC Dalian and based on Chinese Type B trains from Tianjin Metro Line 2. They have a maximum speed of 100 km/h, although they will only operate at 80 km/h.[4]

History

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Light rail and bus station "Mile 2" - the prototype for many Blue Line stations
Station Mile 2, seen from the overpass

In April 2008, the Lagos State Government approved ₦ 70 billion for construction of the Okokomaiko-Iddo-Marina Line, with an estimated completion date of 2011. However, the project suffered many delays due to lack of funds.[5][6] The opening date was revised to June 2013, then December 2016, then 2017.[7][5] As of November 2016, only 16 km (9.9 mi) of the 27 km (16.8 mi) Blue Line had been completed.[7] It began service on 4 September, 2023.[8]

Development plan

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Lagos State is financing construction of the Blue Line with its own resources.[6] The proposed advantages of the blue line are that is will allow commuters to spend less time travelling in the area by avoiding traffic jams which can take many hours to get through, whilst also being cheaper.[9] A journey that would have taken two hours in traffic can now be taken in fifteen minutes.[1] The trains are electrified, and security has been provided to prevent vandalism.[1]

Contractors

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The contract was awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC),[7] with advisory services being provided by CPCS Transcom Limited.

Planned route

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The Blue Line will run 27 kilometres (17 mi) from Okokomaiko to Lagos Marina,[6][10] with 13 stations and an end-to-end journey time of 35 minutes. The entire Blue Line will operate over a secure and exclusive right-of-way, with no level crossings and no uncontrolled access by pedestrians or vehicles. The route will run on the surface in the central reservation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway between Igbo-Elerin Road (Okokomaiko) and Iganmu. The line will then be elevated from Iganmu along the south side of the expressway passing the junction with Eric Moore Road, crossing just south of the National Theatre to Iddo, then south to Lagos Island with a terminal at Marina. A Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) will be constructed at Okokomaiko, with a track connection from the Blue Line to the depot.[citation needed]

Phase I

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The first phase was opened for testing on 21 December 2022.[11] This phase travels 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Lagos Marina to Mile 2.[6][10] The 5 stations being opened are: Lagos Marina, National Theatre, Orile Iganmu, Suru Alaba, Mile 2.[10] The line is undergoing testing during December 2022 and January 2023 before opening to passengers.[6][10] Service began on 4 September, 2023.[8]

Phase II

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Construction of the second phase, from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, will commence after the first phase opens for passenger service. Construction of this project began in 2023 and is currently expected to be completed in 2027.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Start of Lagos metro offers dramatically reduced journey times". Reuters. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Metro rail service starts in Nigeria's Lagos, set to ease traffic". Al Jazeera. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Lagos gets a new elevated rail network". Yahoo News. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. ^ Railway Gazette International. "Lagos metro train unveiled". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Lagos light rail now to be completed 2017". BusinessDay. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Lagos gets a new elevated rail network". Quartz. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Fahd, Abdulmalik (25 November 2016). "December knocking: Where is the Lagos light rail?". Ventures Africa.
  8. ^ a b "Metro rail service starts in Nigeria's Lagos, set to ease traffic". www.msn.com. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  9. ^ "Why Blue line is game changer for Lagos transportation system". Tribune Online. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d Ologunagbe, Olamide (23 December 2022). "What you need to know about Lagos Blue Line Rail". Businessday NG. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  11. ^ Burroughs, David (5 January 2023). "First stage of Lagos metro opens". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Lagos to deliver second phase of blue rail project in 2027". The Guardian. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
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