RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Two construction workers chatted while applying white grout to the walls of a new subway tunnel one recent day, their voices and the smells of the building materials stark reminders of what was missing: passengers and trains.
Seven weeks before the Summer Olympic Games commence, a subway expansion that was supposed to transport hundreds of thousands of athletes and fans is not done. While Brazilian officials insist it can still be finished in time, frequent delays, skyrocketing costs and a financing snag have created doubts.
Even if Rio de Janeiro completes the key part of the expansion in time, transportation experts worry it may be too late to adequately test the system before the Aug.