It looks increasingly likely that work will get under way on Florence’s second tramline, with work beginning perhaps as soon as the end of January 2014.
First, financing for the project was approved by the banks immediately after Christmas once the administrator in charge of the tramvia project was successful in selling the company division that was in heavy debt, thereby putting the construction consortium, awarded the tender, back on solid financial footing.
Next, at its end-of-year meeting the building consortium earmarked approximately 30 million euro for the tramline, which would run from Peretola airport to the Sesto Fiorentino campus of the University of Florence and then continue along the existing line to Campi Bisenzio. The ultimate goal for Florence’s second tramvia line is to connect Campi Bisenzio and Bagno a Ripoli, stopping at the airport and crossing Florence underground before reemerging along lungarno Pecori Giraldi.
Estimates put a 600 million euro price tag on the project, with financing coming from banks and the European Union. Given that the European Union funding is available until 2019, the City of Florence has set a deadline of just over 1,000 days to complete the Campi-Airport and Station-Bagno a Ripoli line.
