The 50-meter space was specifically designed to improve the safety and accessibility of public transportation used by more than ten thousand people who travel through the University City every day. Seven bus lines will once again serve Siberia.

“Siberia Station” is the 50-meter stop that was inaugurated today by the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) at the Rosario University Campus (CUR). This esplanade has already been opened to allow seven bus lines to enter the campus, where more than ten thousand people pass through every day to attend the five faculties and research institutes located there.

This platform was designed to improve safety and accessibility for public transportation within the framework of the CUR Urban Development Plan. It features two pedestrian entrances that improve waiting, boarding, and disembarking conditions for passengers arriving at the university campus. This new space was built with durable concrete and features special access points at the height of the transportation units, special LED lighting, seating, security cameras, and signage.

At the official opening this morning, UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci especially highlighted the support of the Rosario City Council and the government of the province of Santa Fe in completing this renovation project, which has taken years of planning and execution. “It took a lot of effort to get here, and it's been so hard to do many of the things we do every day at our beloved University. And today we have the satisfaction of putting into operation this safe bus stop, which we envisioned a long time ago, and which, given the lack of optimal conditions, required multiple efforts to make it a reality. But we finally reached this goal, which aims to provide better accessibility to the university campus, better safety conditions for the entire UNR community who visit the university campus daily, but also for the residents of República de la Sexta.”

The new Pre-University School of Social Sciences, which is beginning its third year of classes, is also located at the University City. A classroom building was built on the cliff for the Faculty of Political Science and Architecture. A Health Center is being built behind the Faculty of Psychology. The historic entrance vaults were restored and will be used for UNR Publishing. The first phase of the UNR Incubator is also progressing. Urban development work on the neighborhood has also restarted.

“Despite all the difficulties, the UNR is undergoing one of the most important expansion processes in its history. In terms of academic development, never before have so many new programs been launched in such a short period of time. In fact, this year we had the largest intake in the history of the University. Until 2023, we had an intake of around 20.000 students. This year we had 31.000, and that is primarily explained by the new programs we launched. Never before have so many new schools been created in such a short period of time. We have three that are our pride, predating the very founding of the UNR. In these last five years, we have opened four middle schools: the Social Studies school on the Siberia campus, the General Lagos school, the Puerto San Martín school, and the Trébol school, as well as a virtual high school,” Bartolacci listed.

The city's mayor, Pablo Javkin, highlighted the joint work with the UNR, specifically in the area of ​​transportation, such as the construction of electric units for the K line. "We are resuming the urbanization process of the Sixth Line. This will also allow the University to expand its land and have development opportunities, and will allow the city to integrate what was once the famous Siberia, which today is almost in the center of the city, and link it as we are doing."

The mayor took the opportunity to highlight the growth in all areas of mobility. “There was a time when we doubted what the future would look like. We went through a 2020 where the debate was about in-person versus virtual, public transportation, yes or no, whether we were going to recover passengers, whether the service would be able to recover the passengers it had before. Nothing improves the teaching-learning process or the mobility of a city better than in-person attendance, the mobility of our people, and sharing public space. And just as today we see a university with record revenue, I believe we can slowly say that 2025 will be the year in which we surpass the number of passengers we had before the pandemic, breaking a cycle of many years of losing passengers.”

“To win back passengers to a public transport system, we have two fundamental conditions: one is investment. For example, line 131 will have 100% of its fleet renovated, as will lines 112, 107, and other lines. New cars also contribute to quality, as do electric cars, which we are producing with the University and Inventu. But we also believe the key to winning back passengers is for students to return to using public transport as a regular part of their lives. The free-fare policies, combined with the fact that we have better conditions, especially in this area where the stop was very complex in terms of safety and traffic, are firmly on track,” he added.

Another addition brought about by the launch of the Siberia Station is the implementation of the UNR Pantry project, which seeks to highlight and enhance the value of products produced by cooperatives, social entrepreneurs, and solidarity economy companies. This initiative promotes a sustainable agri-food chain, focusing on agroecology, recycling, and the reuse of materials, fostering production models that prioritize environmental and human care, food quality, and the circular economy.

Entrance of seven bus lines

The new bus stop allows public transportation to return to Siberia after many years. The bus station is located within the property, parallel to the platform, and connects to Berutti Street. The project was financed with UNR's own funds.

Since its incorporation, urban bus routes have been modified to improve traffic flow in the area. This restructuring seeks to optimize traffic and facilitate access to the site, while also adding two pedestrian sections that allow direct access from the station.

Lines 101 Black, 102 Red, 115, 115 Airport, 131, 132, and Ronda CUR-SUR will stop at Siberia Station. Line K will continue with its stop at the intersection of Berutti and Riobamba.

In addition, new traffic regulations have been established on Berutti Street. In the section between Cochabamba and Riobamba, traffic will be one-way north-south, while from Viamonte to Riobamba, traffic will be south-north. These modifications aim to regulate vehicular flow and improve mobility in the area.

The investment also includes the replacement and modernization of the area's lighting system, with the installation of new LED lights. This improvement not only contributes to greater energy efficiency and reduced electricity consumption, but also represents a significant advance in terms of safety and visibility for both pedestrians and drivers.

The addition of LED lights allows for better lighting distribution in public spaces, reducing the formation of dark areas and optimizing the perception of the surroundings at night. This is essential in a high-traffic area like the university campus, where thousands of people pass through at different times of the day.

Renewal of the entrance to the University City

The interventions and changes at the CUR don't stop with the addition of the Siberia Station; progress is also being made in other areas. In this regard, work has begun on restoring the vaults at the entrance to the property, which are of great heritage value and were originally built as a prototype for social housing.

These projects were developed based on socio-architectural studies and research conducted by architect Hermes Sosa, who served as director of the Housing Study Team (EEV) from 1964 to 1966, with the aim of supporting the development of a housing policy for the region.

On June 21, 1964, President Arturo Illia visited the city of Rosario. He stayed at the Hotel Italia, which today houses the UNR Government Headquarters, and visited these vaults with the idea of ​​replicating them in other parts of the country.

New Health Center at the CUR

With the goal of further expanding its healthcare capacity, the UNR is moving forward with the construction of a new Health Center at the University City, which will allow for increased consultations and better service to the growing student community. The project is now in its final stages and is expected to begin operating soon.

Decentralizing care and creating new spaces are key strategies for strengthening access to healthcare within the academic community, ensuring that more students can receive medical care without economic or geographic barriers.

Journalists: Micaela Pereyra – Gonzalo García/Photographer: Camila Casero.