Study may lead to restoration of aging funiculars

Regional Development Undersecretary Miguel Flores announced last week that local governments would seek to secure funds to buy and operate Valparaiso’s much acclaimed (but very deteriorated) funicular systems. Funding will be sought from the Urban Recovery and Development Program (known as PRDUV).

Flores said the plan contemplates the purchase of privately owned funiculars and the restoration of funiculars owned by the city of Valparaiso.

 

“We are going to do a report on all the funiculars that are not the city’s possession,” Flores said. “Once this study is done, we are going to determine which ones are going to be bought through this program.”

The proposed study is the second undertaken by the government. The first was determined traffic and public use of the historic transport systems. 

The new study will also develop a business plan to save the funiculars.  A recent study by the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria estimated repair costs for the entire system at US$20 million Valparaiso (ST, June 23). 

There were originally 25 funiculars in Valparaiso, with 15 operational for most of the century. Of those, only seven still function, with one set to close at the end of this month.

The first funicular was built in Concepción in 1883. It is one of the seven remaining.

SOURCE: EL MERCURIO DE VALPARAISO
By Sebastian Leon ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )