Transportes bets on promoting a soft railway integration in San Andrés del Rabanedo, the best for the neighbors

• The Secretary of State argued that the soft integration project is an opportunity, with action in a reasonable time and at an affordable cost by all parties. • Santano is committed to reaching a consensus with the City of León to promote the project. • Regarding the actions already under way to improve permeability in the city, the urgency of opening the San Juan de Dios vial has been transferred, which will facilitate direct access to the annexed hospital and the Espacio León shopping center.

Madrid, April 9, 2024. The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, José Antonio Santano, is committed to promoting the most appropriate solution for the integration of the railway in San Andrés del Rabanedo. Thus, in a meeting with the mayor and other spokespersons of the Leonese corporation, the Secretary of State proposed to advance the soft integration project that allows to improve active mobility and increase green areas in a reasonable time and with an affordable cost for all parties.

Thus, he explained that the proposal in which the Ministry of Transport works is going to benefit the inhabitants of San Andrés since it generates new public spaces, pedestrian and cyclist walks and green areas that will cohesion the environment and allows permeability in the municipality.

However, the Secretary of State has assured that he is committed to reaching a consensus with the City Council to promote the proposed solution. In this regard, he expressed the desire to hold regular meetings with Adif technicians to work together on the railway integration project.

In addition, he has defended that cities must coexist with the railway and humanize the spaces, make them more friendly and with this integration proposal, covering the train tracks, new public spaces and green areas are generated. Thus, the train will remain in the center of San Andrés, integrating it into the environment, and covering the needs of the citizens and the railway system.

The proposed solution, according to Santano, has also taken into account the difficulties posed by grounding, under technical, safety and railway operating criteria.

Among other aspects, a buried solution requires an administrative procedure that would lengthen the project and the work for a decade. Likewise, it represents adjustments of the urban planning of the municipality, as well as a great affectation in the environment in the phase of execution of the works, with cuts or diversions of railway and road traffic (pedestrians and vehicles).

According to the “Complementary Informative Study of the Integration of the Railway in San Andrés del Rabanedo”, the landfill would cost more than 350 million euros, which would have to be cofinanced by the administrations involved, as well as by Adif.

In this way, the Secretary of State expressed his conviction that the soft integration project is a better opportunity because it can be implemented in a more reasonable time and at an affordable cost by all parties.

The meeting has also been able to discuss other actions of Adif already underway to improve the permeability in the city. In this regard, the Secretary of State has conveyed to the mayor the urgency of opening the San Juan de Dios road, a work already executed by Adif, which will significantly improve mobility between San Andrés del Rabanedo and León and will facilitate direct access to the annexed hospital and the Espacio León shopping center.

Alternative details

The project includes the construction of a new mixed lower pass (pedestrians, vehicles and bicycles) in the area of Avenida Párroco Pablo Díez, giving continuity in a straight line to this road. In addition, the current metal walkway that passes over the track will be transferred to the Camino La Raya.

The integration proposal contemplates covering 400 meters of tracks between Avenida Párroco Pablo Díez and Ángel Soto Volunteer Street, from the current upper pass in curve, to overcome the pedestrian walkway that connects the streets Limonar de Cuba and Antonio Colinas.

The solution will promote landscaped public spaces, pedestrian walks and for cyclists and green areas for cohesion and transversal permeability in the environment.

One of the actions will be developed in the area of the curve of Rector Pablo Díez, where a separation of the pedestrian and bicycle itineraries of the adjacent housing building is proposed. It also creates a vegetable barrier with the large commercial surface, located on the adjoining plot; it gives continuity to the current pre-existing cycling path and generates new public spaces on the railway drawer.

Another of the actions will be carried out in the area of the Juan Pedro Aparicio park, providing continuity and connecting with the current park. On the east side, slopes would be built and new pedestrian connection points and permeability to the west would be promoted. On the west side, new stairs and vegetable walls would be located towards Limonar Street in Cuba.

The proposal includes actions on the stretch to Ángel Soto Volunteer Street, where new pedestrian permeability itineraries are proposed, with the replacement of elevators on both sides of the railway line, the installation of stairs at the northern end, on each side, and the execution of pedestrian ramps (one on each side of the action).