The tramway connects the city
Skanska has, on behalf of Lund Municipality, built a new tramway between Lund Central Station and the European Spallation Source (ESS), northeast of the city center. The project includes 5.5 kilometers of double track, nine stops, a new bridge and installation of track, electricity, signal and telecommunications. The tramway runs between Lund C and ESS (Brunnshög).
The tramway has been built to cover future needs and creates opportunities for the development of the city. The municipality of Lund expects the area along the tramway to expand, and estimates that another 50,000 people will live and work in the area northeast of Lund by 2050. This requires an efficient and sustainable infrastructure.
We started the project in February 2017 and completed it in the spring of 2020. The tram construction included pipeline diversions, earthworks, track, electricity, signal, telecommunications, surface layer works, stops, plantations and more.
Rerouting of pipes and wires
Parts of the city's pipeline and wiring network needed to be moved because of the new tramway. The work was complex and divided into stages to minimize disturbances in the systems.
In addition, the city's infrastructure had to run as usual for all modes of transportation, including pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Accessibility has been a top priority throughout the project and we have strived to minimize disruption for the residents of Lund.
We started with the work above ground level at the end of 2017. We laid the tracks in Brunnshög in the autumn of 2017 and the entire tramway was completed in the spring of 2020.
A new bridge over the E22
A part of the tram project was to replace an existing bridge over European highway E22 with a new bridge twice the width of the old one. At the end of 2017, we started casting the new bridge, which was manufactured next to the E22. We have demolished the old bridge, excavated several thousand cubic meters of soil and widened the street to 28 meters to make room for the new bridge. Pedestrians, bicycle traffic and car traffic have been redirected during the final phase of the bridge work. For twelve days, the E22 was closed to traffic. The old bridge was demolished and we pushed the new one in place. In April 2018, the bridge was inaugurated.
Safety in focus
Work was carried out in city traffic, which meant great challenges concerning safety. Before the production started, a group was formed that was responsible for roadblocks 24 hours a day. Construction fences were set up along the entire 5.5-kilometer-long work area so that third parties did not enter our worksite.
The hospital in Lund has three entrances, and two of them had to be open at all times. This required good planning and a close dialogue with the hospital. An ambulance had to get through no matter what.
Pedestrian and bicycle traffic had to be able to pass without disturbances. Signs lead the way and temporary structures were established continuously based on how the construction work progressed.
The tramway is part of a green investment
Green and sustainability have been key words during the project. The municipality of Lund aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2020. A long term goal is that emission levels should be close to zero by 2050. The tramway is part of this investment. The environmentally friendly trams can transport many passengers. A tram has the same capacity as four ordinary city buses. It transports about 200 travelers, of which 40 are seated. Reduced car traffic also has positive environmental effects. The finished tramway will use the excess heat from ESS to heat the platforms and keep them dry and ice-free. The track also adds a green element to the streets with grassy track areas. The construction project itself was green, for example employees often took the bicycle to different parts of the workplace.
Part of the tramway project passed through high-quality agricultural land. Samples were taken from the surplus and the soil was reused in plantations along the tramway. We could cut down on several transports, which was better for the environmental and kept costs down.
The tramway was nominated for the Sweden Green Building Awards 2017 in the category Award for Sustainable Infrastructure.
Environmentally friendly and efficient means of transportation
The tram traffic started running in December 2020. Residents and visitors now travel with modern carriages between Lund Central Station and ESS. The trams will initially depart every 7.5 minutes during rush hour. During peak hours, five trams will run on the tramway.
