Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS) has completed the excavation of the future metro stations of Aperribai and Bengoetxe, and is advancing on the terminal that will serve Usansolo hospital. The Basque Government's Minister of Sustainable Mobility, Susana García Chueca, and the Deputy General of Bizkaia, Elixabete Etxanobe, have verified the progress of the works in Galdakao.
The construction of Metro Line 5 is moving forward, with 61% of the tunnel already excavated. The line will run from Basauri to Usansolo hospital, passing through Galdakao, and will eventually connect with the Euskotren line from Busturialdea and Durangaldea. It will feature five stations and is jointly financed by the Basque Government and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia.
García Chueca and Etxanobe met in Bengoetxe with the mayor, Iñigo Arriandiaga, and inspected the large excavated area of 100 meters long and 20 meters wide prepared for the intermediate station. They later entered the tunnel that will connect Bengoetxe and Galdakao, adjacent to the N-634 road.
The minister highlighted that "political impetus and financial capacity were necessary to advance this infrastructure," and that Line 5, with its 6.2 kilometers and five stations, "is tangible proof of our technical capability and that, by reaching agreements between institutions, we are capable of improving people's quality of life."
For her part, Etxanobe emphasized "institutional collaboration" and the commitment to "sustainable mobility" within an intermodal plan that combines metro, train, and bus. "An essential commitment to guarantee territorial cohesion, facilitate daily life, and offer more opportunities."
At the Bengoetxe station, excavation of slopes, retaining walls, and rock face stabilization have been fully completed. The foundation slab concrete cleaning has been executed, preparing the ground for the start of foundation work.
At the Olabarrieta front, the excavation and support of the 125 meters of the access gallery to the tunnel have been completed. From this point, 600 meters have been excavated towards Galdakao, reaching the Bengoetxe station, and 450 meters towards Aperribai. Demolition work continues in these tunnel sections. From Bengoetxe towards Galdakao, ventilation gallery VE-02 has been constructed, and 100 meters have been advanced towards the future Galdakao station. From the opposite side, at the Abusu front, 500 meters of excavation have been carried out towards Galdakao.
In the section including the Sarratu and Aperribai stations, nearly 600 meters of advance excavation and 300 meters of demolition have been completed on the main tunnel. In Aperribai, the excavation of the station's box is complete, and its construction will begin shortly. In the Sarratu area, freight tracks will be moved to their final position during November. Following this, the execution of the Sarratu station will commence.
In the final section, which includes the Hospital station, the majority of the main tunnel is excavated. The access shaft from Usansolo is also fully excavated, and the pilot gallery for the hospital terminal was recently completed. Work is also underway on widening the 'ears' (orejas).
With all these activities underway, ETS has already excavated 61% of the total main tunnel, amounting to 3,870 meters of the 6.3 km route.
