The Council of Ministers, at its meeting today and on the proposal of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma), has authorized the tender of a contract for the conservation and exploitation of a sector of the State Road Network (RCE) in the province of Seville, with an estimated value of 20.8 million euros (VAT not included). The initial duration is three years, with the possibility of a first extension of two years and an additional one for a maximum of nine months.
Within the framework of the strategy of reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency, the Ministry has included objectives of mitigation and compensation of the carbon footprint in the tender documents of the conservation and exploitation contracts (COEX) of the State Road Network, which means that companies must include in their offers the calculation of the carbon footprint that they will generate during the execution of the contract in each stretch of the road. They will also commit to presenting a decarbonization plan in the first six months of the contract with reduction and emissions compensation measures to achieve a carbon neutral balance. This plan will also be included within the valuation criteria.
The aim is to reduce CO2 by 71,640 tons per year, which, according to calculations made by the General Directorate of Roads, generates the regular operation and maintenance and operation of the State Road Network and reinforces the orientation towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to which Mitma is committed.
This contract authorized today, aimed at the maintenance and conservation of 116.8 km of roads including 90 km of motorways, is part of the Mitma program to maintain the conditions of circulation, road and safety in the RCE, ensuring that it is accessible in the appropriate conditions to all citizens.
Action will be taken on sector No. 1, which includes the following roads:
- Motorway A-4; between the kilometer points (PP.KK.) 435+625 and 525+660.
- Service routes of the A-4, among the following PP.KK. :
or 440+760 and 441+868
or 442+882 and 444+168
or 447+118 and 448+605
or 455+350 and 457+142
or 456+429 and 457+142
or 457+071 and 458+015
or 460+439 and 461+819
or 481+650 and 483+390
or 485+846 and 488+151
or 486+581 and 488+015
or 517+075 and 519+380
or 518+764 and 520+677
or 523+547 and 524+830
or 523+670 and 525+137
- N-4A roads, between the PP.KK. 504 and 506+900 and 508+250 and 511.
In addition, this contract incorporates the following specific projects to improve the firmness and signage of several roads:
- Surface rehabilitation of the firm on the A-4 motorway at various points between PP.KK 449+780 and 525+660.
- Road safety. Improvement of link with the road Mairena del Alcor-Brenes (p.k 521 of the A-4), right margin, through construction of roundabout.
Characteristics of the conservation model
The new model of mixed contracts (services and works) for the execution of conservation and exploitation operations in the State Road Network aims to offer a comprehensive service of mobility to the user, improve the state of the road and network and optimize public resources.
Through them, works are carried out to help the roads and ordinary conservation of the roads to allow the infrastructure and its functional elements to have the best possible conditions of circulation and safety. It includes actions such as: status information and programming agenda, operating aid and road safety studies, and maintenance of road elements with adequate levels of quality.
Last year, energy efficiency measures were incorporated into service facilities, such as self-consumption, renewable heating systems, energy saving measures in lighting or the implementation of electric motor vehicles.
As for the criteria relating to the mitigation and compensation of the carbon footprint now introduced in the specifications, the objective is for the awarding companies to reach the carbon neutral balance within 5 years from the start of the contract. The compensation can be done through the absorption projects registered in the Carbon Footprint, Compensation and Carbon Dioxide Absorption Projects, under the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, or through other options.