Archaeological excavations began on 7 July on two central sections of Romes proposed metro C line, which will run between Piazzale Clodio and Pantano (Casilino). The work on the Piazzale Clodio-Piazza Venezia and the Piazza Venezia-S. Giovanni sections is due to take no longer than six months, with minimal disruption to traffic and pedestrians. Twelve excavation sites in total will be set up through the month of July in the following order: Piazza Venezia, Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, Largo dellAmbra Aradam (S. Giovanni), Largo Ipponio (S. Giovanni), Viale Mazzini (Prati), Piazza Paoli (near Piazza della Chiesa Nuova), Viale Angelico/Viale delle Milizie (Prati), Via dei Fori Imperiali, Via Barletta (Prati), Via Cesare Battisti (near Piazza Venezia), S. Andrea della Valle (near Corso Vittorio Emanuele/Piazza Navona) and Via di Villa Fonseca (S. Giovanni). In addition, excavations will begin in Piazza S. Ivo alla Sapienza in October.

Archaeological investigations began back in May on the S. Giovanni-Alessandrino section, near Centocelle and on the Alessandrino-Torre Angela section. Initial digging of the line, which is expected to incur construction costs of around 3 billion, is scheduled for January 2007 if all goes smoothly, starting on the S. Giovanni-Alessandrino section, which should be running from March 2011. Depending on what the archaeological soundings bring to light the Piazza Venezia-Clodio Mazzini section could functional by November 2013 and the Clodio/Mazzini-Pantano section by August 2015.