The Council of Ministers, at its meeting today, has authorized the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to tender a service contract for the conservation and exploitation of state roads in Asturias, with an estimated value of just over 24 million euros (VAT not included).
The duration is three years, with the possibility of an extension of two years and an additional one of a maximum of nine months.
This contract includes requirements to promote energy efficiency and emission reduction and is part of the program of this Ministry to maintain the conditions of circulation, road and safety in the State Road Network (RCE), ensuring that it is accessible in the appropriate conditions to all citizens.
The works are intended for the maintenance and conservation of 142,420 km of roads in Sector No. 6 (including 33,550 km of motorway) and cover several sections of the A-63, N-634 and N-634A.
Next to the related roads, the contract will be the execution of the project of renovation and updating of facilities of the tunnels of Priañes, Peñaflor and El Fresno, between the km 11,008 to 26,599 of the A-63 highway.
Reduce emissions
Within the strategy of reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency, the tender documents of the conservation and exploitation contracts (COEX) of the State Road Network include objectives of mitigation and compensation of the carbon footprint, 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 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. 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 this Ministry is committed.
Characteristics of the conservation model
The 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: schedule of status information and programming, operating aid and road safety studies and maintenance of road elements with adequate levels of quality.
In 2022, 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 vehicles.