We got out to the north in a timely manner

The Verkhnie Likhobory station on the Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya line of the Moscow metro has acquired another exit. The north concourse opened to passengers on August 29. Unlike the construction of the station itself, during which it was necessary to tame the underground flow of the Likhoborka River, the construction of the vestibule went without any particular difficulties. And yet, the work had its own peculiarities, which the Metrostroevets correspondent learned about.

Since March, when three stations of the light green metro line opened at once, Verkhniye Likhobory has operated with only one exit, the southern one.

“The second lobby, taking into account the branch line to the depot, the construction of the depot and technological chambers, was opened only now,” explained Sergei Zhukov, general director of Mosmetrostroy JSC, during the opening ceremony. – Everything was completed on time and with high quality – this is the main thing for builders.

The northern vestibule of the station is located on Dmitrovskoye Highway and is connected to an underground passage. This will allow passengers to get to ground transport stops on both sides of the highway, as well as to Beskudnikovsky Boulevard and Dubninskaya Street. According to Zhukov, the transition will be completed by the end of September.

The opening of the lobby fell on one of the last hot days of the passing summer. The untouched metal lining of the doors sparkles under the scorching rays, the green walls stand out brightly against the backdrop of urban development. The area around the lobby has been landscaped - tiles have been laid, lanterns, benches and trash cans have been installed. Mosmetrostroy employees open the entrance for the first passengers.

Inside, the lobby, decorated with dark and light marble, is cool. The platform is approached by an inclined passage with four escalators decorated with a row of lamps. You can go down to the trains and by elevator.

Not without difficulties

Despite the generally calm process of building the lobby, difficulties arose.

“The main difficulty was the cramped urban conditions and the depth of the pit,” says Evgeniy Satyshev, deputy chief engineer of SMU-12. – The site is narrow, so even the simple installation of the crane was a problem. Due to the removal of communications, the preliminary work took a long time, while the monolithic structures of the lobby were completely constructed in just seven months.

During the construction of the escalator tunnel, soil freezing technology was used.

“Wells for freezing columns were drilled to a depth of 97 meters for the first time in Moscow,” Satyshev points out. “Using this experience, we are drilling even deeper at the second vestibule of the Okruzhnaya station – to 104 meters.

The stage of laying communications for the lobby and engineering was also difficult. This work fell on the shoulders of specialists from SMU-4.

– Many innovative ideas proposed by design organizations were used. This is mainly new surveillance, alarm and communication equipment. There is also a large-scale ventilation system - 37 ventilation systems (usually about 25), - said Vladislav Kozyulin, deputy chief engineer of SMU-4.

Now all that remains is to liquidate the mines through which Verkhniye Likhobory was built. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.