Sweco to plan 270km rail line in Sweden

Sweden’s North Bothnia railway line

Multinational engineering consultancy Sweco has been awarded a contract to plan a 270km-long stretch of railway in the north of Sweden.

Sweco’s scope of work will include project planning and the preparation of construction documents for the section of the North Bothnia line running along the Norrland coast and connecting the cities of Umeå and Luleå.

Map showing the proposed route of the North Bothnia Line extension

As well as the complex project management task assigned to the company – with construction work set to take place in a number of urban areas – the Swedish Transport Administration has tasked Sweco with environmental planning work, ensuring the construction work has minimal impact on the climate.

In its press release, Sweco said it expected preparation of the construction documentation to continue until 2024, after which time its advisory services will run until approximately 2031.

Jan Thulin, division manager for Sweco’s railway consultants in Sweden, said, “This is a highly complex assignment that entails project planning for a new railway in an urban environment, and it’s critical that we apply an innovative and sustainable approach while minimising impact on the environment and surroundings.”