Guadalajara’s third subway (tren ligero) line will run underground only briefly as it cuts through downtown Guadalajara on its way from the center of Zapopan to the bus station in Tonala.
The decision to construct 13 of the 18 stations above ground has angered Tapatios who live and work in the subway line’s path.
Cost is the major reason why the line will be mostly elevated, say transportation authorities, who recently awarded concessions to constructors to start work on the first stage of the 17.6-billion-peso project. If the entire line were subterranean, the cost would increase by 9.3 billion pesos, they maintain.
A concrete, elevated train line will not only be an eyesore but a security risk and “degrade” neighborhoods, reducing the value of properties, say many people living and working nearby.