The government delegate in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, visited on Wednesday the beginning of the works of suppression of two steps at level in the municipality of Santa Cruz de Bezana, an action promoted by Adif with an investment of 2.3 million euros. The delegate has been accompanied by the Commissioner of the Proximity Plan of Cantabria, Antonio Berrios, and the Deputy Director of Steps at the Level of Adif, Roberto Muela.
The works, which began this month of February and will end at the end of the year, are part of the Proximity Plan promoted by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to modernize and improve the railway network in the region. In the area of security, the Plan envisages an investment of 55 million euros to intervene in 40 steps at the level: 26 will be eliminated and in 14 the protection will be strengthened with new barriers, light signalling and other security measures. Currently, the works of suppression in eight steps at level are already in progress, which are in addition to the one already eliminated in Piélagos.
The Adif project in Santa Cruz de Bezana includes the elimination of the level crossings located in Calle de la Reina (P.K 522/700) and Calle Otero (P.K 523/088), both regulated with barriers and light signage. To this end, an upper passage and a connecting road will be built between the CA-301 road and Otero Street, improving security and mobility in the area.
Gómez de Diego stressed that this action is "a fundamental step to improve pedestrian, road and railway safety in the municipality, eliminating risk points and facilitating the connection between the residential and industrial areas of Bezana". "These are two steps at a busy level, both because of the high frequency of trains that this line has and because of vehicles, so its elimination is going to mean a significant improvement both from the point of view of safety and to help make mobility in Bezana more comfortable and fluid," he said.
In addition, Gómez de Diego has highlighted the important commitment being made by the Government of Spain. "The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and Adif are demonstrating a firm commitment to the modernization of the railway infrastructures of Cantabria, with an unprecedented volume of actions and investments," he said.
Job description
The solution adopted by Adif in Santa Cruz de Bezana reduces the impact of the works by replacing the two steps at level with a single elevated step on the railway track, located at an intermediate point between the current crossings. The new road that will give access to the upper pass will have a length of 620 meters, will have a sidewalk for pedestrians and will allow the circulation of vehicles in both directions. In addition, a central lane will be enabled to safely facilitate right and left turns with the existing road.
The work plan includes two phases: the first, focused on the movements of land and the construction of walls, and the second, on the execution of the structure of the upper pass and the connection with the CA-301 road and Otero Street. During the construction of the intersection, existing level crossings will remain open to traffic so there will be no affliction, although partial cuts will be necessary on the road for its execution.
In order not to affect the railway service, the most critical works, such as the assembly of beams and the concretization of the top step board, will be carried out at night, within the railway maintenance band established between 23:30 and 5:45.
In addition to the elimination of level crossings, the project includes the adaptation of safety facilities and the replacement of railway communications and other services, as well as the installation of a new enclosure.
Once the works have been completed, the crossing of the Santander-Llanes railway line will be carried out exclusively through the new upper pass, eliminating the current level crossings and improving the safety and fluidity of traffic in the area.
Proximity Plan
The action in Santa Cruz de Bezana is part of the Proximity Plan of Cantabria, which has a global budget of 1,500 million euros, of which more than 1,200 correspond to interventions in the infrastructure. The implementation of all these improvements will improve the reliability of the service, further increase the punctuality and capacity of the infrastructure, as well as reduce travel times, consolidating the railway as a sustainable and reliable means of transport in the region.
It should be noted with regard to the improvement of travel times that, on this proximity line C2 Santander-Cabezón de la Sal, last February 1, with the improvements being made to infrastructure, the proximity trains have reduced the travel time between 4 and 7 minutes, the trains with stop at all stations, reaching to reduce the first semi-direct train of the morning 10 minutes.
They also contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as number 9, which promotes reliable, sustainable and quality infrastructures.