The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has today supervised the works of the node of Torrelavega, one of the most important and complex actions that the Ministry is carrying out in Cantabria, with an investment of 125.5 million euros (VAT). During the visit, the minister highlighted the strong impetus given this year to the work of connecting the A-67 with the A-8 and announced the imminent opening to traffic of the Oviedo-Palencia branch.
Thus, works have already been executed for 99 million euros, 79% of the total budgeted and, after overcoming technical difficulties related to the terrain or the drainage of the infrastructure, the work is ready to be finished in a near time horizon.
“This year we have greatly increased the pace of implementation. Thus, the entry into service of the Oviedo-Palencia branch is imminent, of about 2 km of new route, in its definitive disposition within the link of Sierrapando and the incorporation from Sierrapando to the A-67, which had been temporarily cut,” explained the minister.
This branch will also provisionally lead the Santander-Palencia movement until the opening of the Sierrapando-Barreda branch of continuity, known as the Torrelavega knot, takes place.
During his visit, the minister has been able to verify that the continuity branch of the A-67 is in an advanced state of execution.
Work is currently being done on the structure of the Rozas artificial tunnel and, when it is completed, it will be equipped with its facilities and the waterproofing and land cover of the structure.
The execution of the false tunnel is the critical path of the work, since it requires constructing two 422 m tubes to cover with about 700,000 m3 of material, a volume equivalent to that of more than 200 Olympic swimming pools. The works of the 2.5 km stretch include 46 structures and a multitude of affected services. Hence the complexity in its implementation and the time frame for it.
Improve connections
The minister has confirmed his commitment to the development of the infrastructure and transport of Cantabria with the aim of improving its rail and road connection with La Meseta and internal mobility.
In this regard, he has been interested in the status of other actions on the A-67, such as the improvement of its capacity with a third lane in the 13 km stretch between Polanco and Santa Cruz de Bezana, whose works began in April this year with a budget of almost 173 million euros. Or the development of the project to continue this third lane to the Seve Ballesteros Santander Airport of 7 km and almost 87 million euros of investment, which was submitted to public information in May of this year.
It is a very demanded action to increase the capacity and safety of the La Meseta motorway, between the Barreda link, where the continuity branch that we are executing ends, the Torrelavega knot, and the Igollo link, where it connects with the S-20, the access road to the city by the west.
The improvement of the functionality of the A-67 is fundamental for communications in Cantabria since it constitutes the main connection of this community with the Plateau, and from there with the central and southern peninsular area.
With regard to the railway connection, the Ministry has demonstrated its commitment to the arrival of high speed in Reinosa by tendering the work of all sections between Palencia and Alar del Rey (Nogales) that add more than 84 km and 415 million euros, already in execution.
In this line, the minister recalled his objective of connecting the sections in Nogales with the current line to advance 3 years of its implementation. The saving of 20 min per trip in that time compensates for the investment it requires. And that’s the benefit we’re looking for as we finalize the remaining 42 km to Reinosa, with the projects we’ve already listed for more than 19 million euros.