Salini, Ceo of Webuild: “We are proud to deliver the entire M4 Line to the city today, a challenging project under the heart of Milan, made possible by the unique skills of the Group and all the people who worked on it.”

With the opening of 13 new stations, the complete 15-kilometre route of the blue line, which connects the outskirts to the city centre from East to West in just 30 minutes, is now fully operational.
The future of our generation, and those to come, hinges on the successful completion of complex infrastructure projects and the development of skilled training programmes

An innovative project excavated to a maximum depth of 30 meters beneath the city, featuring significant urban regeneration initiatives and the preservation of historical heritage

Milan, October 12, 2024 – Crossing Milan from east to west in just 30 minutes is now a reality thanks to the Metro Line 4, built by Webuild for the City of Milan. The inaugural journey of the first train took place this morning, departing from San Cristoforo station and heading to Linate Airport, completing the route, which has been partially operational since 2023, from San Babila to the airport in 12 minutes. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini; the Mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala; and Webuild CEO, Pietro Salini. Present at the ceremony was also the Greek Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Chrīstos Staikouras, in view of the inauguration of the Thessaloniki Metro, also built by Webuild in a consortium, scheduled for later this year.

“We are here today to represent all those who worked with us on this innovative project that transforms the face of the city. The Blue Line,” said Salini, “is a project brought to life thanks to the unique, professional expertise of people and companies, whose work has delivered a line that holds great value not only in terms of engineering but also in sustainability, the preservation of historical heritage, and urban renewal. Constructive collaboration with institutions and partners was crucial in delivering this project responsibly, even during a highly complex period that was the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction of the M4 results from a vision shared by successive administrations, all committed to realizing a dream: to strengthen the city’s leadership by turning into action the core values of shared well-being expressed in the Constitution. This vision extended beyond merely creating a sustainable mobility project; it incorporated urban regeneration along the entire M4 route to make the city even more people-focused. I want to thank all the companies in the supply chain, our excellent partners, and above all, the people who worked on this project, bringing to Milan their unique expertise gained from working on some of the largest projects in the world. Like other projects underway across the country, the M4 is a testament to Italy’s ability to deliver essential infrastructure for the future of millions.”

The construction of the Blue Line involved many women and men from Webuild and its partners, Hitachi Rail and Mer Mec, with a total of 16,000 people engaged throughout the project's duration, including direct and third-party personnel, as well as 1,300 outstanding companies in the supply chain. Today’s ceremony also served as an opportunity to honour the worker Raffaele Ielpo, with a commemorative plaque dedicated to him, following the accident that unfortunately occurred at a construction site with some of the best safety standards in the world.

The Blue Line is set to significantly improve urban mobility and reduce the environmental impact of city transportation. With today’s inauguration, the entire route is now operational, consisting of 21 stations and extending over 15 kilometres. The Milan metro network now spans 118 kilometres, making it the sixth largest in Europe by length.

The new line can accommodate up to 24,000 passengers per hour per direction, with an expected 86 million passengers annually, helping to prevent the emission of 75,000 tons of CO2 each year.

The M4 project has been groundbreaking in many ways. The line is fully automated and driverless, ensuring maximum safety for passengers. To construct it, 25 kilometres of tunnels were excavated using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), with stations built as close as 1.5 meters from the foundations of buildings. Approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of soil were removed. Specific conveyor belts were utilized to dispose of the excavated earth, which helped avoid 75,000 truck trips in the city centre.

The Blue Line is also the deepest metro line in Milan, reaching a maximum depth of 30 meters. For the construction of the secondary tunnels, an eco-sustainable and innovative freezing method was employed, utilizing liquid nitrogen to freeze the groundwater, which facilitates excavation operations in soil similar to those found underground in Milan.

However, the interventions didn't only extend to the underground areas of Milan. The project also included the urban regeneration of over 246,000 square meters, with more than 66,000 square meters dedicated to green spaces. This includes new bike lanes, playgrounds, and a pedestrian and cycling bridge in San Cristoforo that connects two areas of the neighborhood across the Naviglio Grande and the railway station.

The M4 in Milan is part of the Group's impressive track record, which includes the construction of over 820 kilometres of metro lines worldwide. This includes some of the most stunning Art Stations of the Naples Metro, such as the award-winning Università and Toledo stations. In Italy, the Group is currently building
of the Rome Metro, which will traverse the heart of the capital with museum-like stations designed to showcase the significant archaeological heritage uncovered during the excavations. The Group is also working on projects in Naples, including the on Line 1 and the on the Monte Sant’Angelo branch. Abroad, in addition to the , the Group is involved in the , with the recently awarded Lot 2 of Line 15 Western Section, and Lot 2 of Line 16, which is nearing completion.

source is Webuild.