Line 6, Shenzhen Metro

Line 6 (simplified Chinese: 六号线; traditional Chinese: 六號線; pinyin: Liùhào Xiàn; Jyutping: Luk6 Hou6 Sin3), also known as the Guangming Line (simplified Chinese: 光明线; traditional Chinese: 光明線; pinyin: Guāngmíng Xiàn; Jyutping: Gwong1 Ming4 Sin3) of the Shenzhen Metro is currently under construction. Line 6 is part of the Phase III expansion of the Shenzhen Metro with a construction time frame scheduled for 2015-2019.^[1] The first phase of Line 6 has a length of 37.85 km and a total of 20 stations.^[2] It connects Songgang to Shenzhen North Railway Station. The southern extension has a length of 12 km and 6 stations, from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Science Museum Station. Construction of the first phase started in 2012,^[3] with both the original line and south extension are scheduled to open in 2020.^[4] When completed it will be the second metro line in Shenzhen with an operating speed of over 100 km/h. Lilin Station will have provision for interchange with Dongguan Rail Transit Line 1 which is under detailed planning.^[5] It is envisioned to serve as an interchange with Line 1 and Line 4 of the Dongguan Rail Transit system. As with Line 4, Line 6 will be operated by Hong Kong MTR Corporation (Shenzhen).^[6]

History

Line 6 had a planning history of over 20 years with major design changes along the way. In the 1994 "Shenzhen Urban Passenger Transport Master Plan", Line 6 was a metro line proposed to start from Baoan International Airport to Songgang, with a line length of about 15 km. It was envisioned as an extension of the still under planning Line 1 to connect the industrial and manufacturing centers of the then Bao'an County with the International Airport and the Special Economic Zones of Shenzhen. At the time Bao'an was not part of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the purpose of Line 6 was to promote the development into Bao'an's western corridor and the northern industrial hinterland by extending the reach of the Shenzhen Metro.^[7]

In the 2001, Line 6 was proposed to be extended south to Xixiang Subdistrict and east to Gongming Subdistrict creating a 37.5 km long line with 16 stations. At that point the alignment of Line 6 bears more resemblance to today's Line 11. By 2003, Line 6 was again redesigned into a 51.8 km, 15 station, commuter railway in a "∩" shape connecting the Airport with Longhua District via Songgang. With the eastern leg of the "∩" replacing one of the then proposed Line 4 branches, the other which remained a section of Line 4 heading to Qinghu.^[8] In 2003, The line was again redesigned back into a metro line from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Songgang with a length of 37.2 km, and 19 stations with a branch line north to Dongguang. This is the first incarnation of Line 6 that resembles it's alignment today.^[9]

In 2011, an additional station, Lilin, was added between the Guangming Center station and Guangming North station. This was done in anticipation for interchange with Dongguan Rail Transit Line 1 which will now take over the branch line to Dongguang.^[10] This was done in order to promote better transport integration and economic development between Dongguang and Shenzhen with the relevant departments of the two cities working together in rail transit planning.^[11] During the construction of Line 4 in 2007 to 2011, Shangtang Station reserved space for extra platforms and tracks for cross-platform interchange with Line 6. The station was to be rearranged to accommodate Line 6 when it was being constructed. In addition, Line 4's Longhua depot had supports built with decks designed for Line 6 to run over it. In 2012, Line 6 north of Shenzhen North Station was realigned one block east, dropping the plan to use all these provisions.^[12]

In April 10, 2012, Longhua District government held a symposium rail transit construction and the Shenzhen Urban Planning and Land Resources Committee issued the "Shenzhen rail transit planning (revision)".^[13] This revised Phase III plan showed that Line 6 will extend further south into central Shenzhen with six new stations, and an additional length of 11.5 kilometers. The Shenzhen Metro Phase III approved by the National Development and Reform Commission does not include the south extension of Line 6. However, in order to reduce the need for passengers heading to the city center to transfer into the already overcrowded Line 4, approval for the southern extension of Line 6 parallel to Line 4 was fast tracked. This extension will improve connectivity, by providing a direct line between Guangming and the city center, and provide relief for the congested Line 4 heading to and from Shenzhen North Station.^[10]

Construction

In 2010 the Shenzhen government and MTR Corporation signed a memorandum of cooperation on the construction operation of Line 6 for 30 years under the BOT procurement strategy, similar to Line 4.^[14][15] Funding was approved in April 2013 and construction of the first phase from Shenzhen North Station to Songgang officially started on August 25, 2015 with completion by 2020.^[1] A notable feature of the project is the section of Line 6 that crosses over Line 4 between Hongshan and Shangtang stations. The angle between the alignments of the two lines is only 11.3°. This means there is significant overlap between the elevated structures of both lines and Line 6 will need to span 100 meters in length order to cross over Line 4. This will be done with a large cable-stayed bridge supported by a single 92 meter high main pier and a bridge length of 140 meters. Making it the first cable-stayed bridge for a metro line for the Shenzhen Metro.^[16]

Planning

The latest Environmental Assessment Study revised the alignment of the southern extension by shifting the alignment east, adding a station at Hanlin, removing Sports Center Station and a proposing a new secondary depot at Minle.^[17]

References