Mitma starts work to tender the construction project of the railway variant of Torrellano in Alicante

El Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) has started the work for tender for the drafting of the construction projects of the railway variant of Torrellano, that replace the current Iberian wide route between Alicante and Elche, attached to the coast, except for rail access to the port. “The Government is going to start the bidding process for the construction projects for the Torrellano variant. We have spent a lot of time hesitating between two alternatives, but instructions have already been given to start with the one that you already have an approved informational study, which will allow us to start the works in less time”, announced the secretary of state, Isabel Pardo de Vera, at the Alicante Forum.

Thus, it has been chosen to develop the Alternative of the route of the variant proposed in the study currently in writing, that It coincides noticeably with that of the informational study that has already been approved, although, with some modifications that will now allow traffic of both passengers and goods and not only passengers to circulate on this route. Thus, the drafting of the projects will be carried out, while the environmental and sectoral processing of the areas where there are some differences in layout is completed. Likewise, it has chosen to move forward with this first option because the alternative under study by the Porquet involved crossing a protected paleontological site and has been dismissed.

The layout of this variant, of some 7.5 kilometres in length, borders the exterior of Alicante, passes through the neighborhood of Bacarot, crosses the Sierra de Colmenares, eliminates the setback in San Gabriel and Link to the section that will give access to the airport, whose Project Writing will start before March After having litigated in June 2022. The entrance section to the airport of Alicante-Elche, with a length of about 5 kilometers, has a budget of 80 million euros and contemplates the construction of one station under the passenger terminal of the infrastructure.

Ensure the communication

Although the construction of the Torrellano variant involves, in the long term, lifting the coastline, the Secretary of State has announced that it has been decided to electrify and adapt to standard width the track provisionally to guarantee the traffic of goods through the Mediterranean Corridor and the quality of the service between the cities of Murcia and Alicante.

As Pardo de Vera has pointed out, “the Ministry has the clear idea of dismantling the route that is by the sea”, but until the variant is built it is necessary to maintain the line and improve it so that the freight traffic is not cut in Alicante and can continue to circulate to Murcia and Almeria and so that the service of Proxies remains operational, beyond the free services offered by the new high performance. “The best solution is that, while constructing the Torrellano variantthere are some Efficient Neighbourhoods Providing service to citizens and making the transport of goods more effective and sustainable,” he said.

Within the framework of the commitment to railway infrastructures, the Secretary of State has announced that in a few weeks the new route in Iberian width between Xàtiva and La Encina River will be put into service, a key action for the Mediterranean Corridor that has involved an investment of 413 million.

“I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the fact that last Wednesday the reliability tests of the new infrastructures and facilities were carried out in order to put the new route into service. Fundamental to connect the southeast of the peninsular with the northeast and the rest of the continent, and for the high-speed connection between Valencia and Alicante. Once in service, the high-speed adoption of the double track route will be addressed for the connection in standard width of the three capitals of the Valencian Community”, announced Pardo de Vera.

Likewise, it has announced that this month the Ministry plans to transfer to the City of Alicante a proposal for solution for the situation of Playa del Mar and Benalua which may be acceptable to all parties, upon entry of goods into the port. “We believe that this alternative will eliminate disused roads, promote urban regeneration and meet citizens’ demands. There is a lot of work left and the collaboration of the City Council is going to be fundamental, but we are not willing to do anything,” he said.

Roads

Beyond the train, the Secretary of State has highlighted the commitment of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) to the Road infrastructure development in the region. Thus, after the commissioning of the variant of Benissa, last July, less than a month ago the Mitma approved the project of tracing the complementary works of the variant with an estimated budget of work greater than 20 million euros. These are works in the vicinity of the new northern link of Benissa and in the adjoining section of the N-332 at the height of the industrial estate La Pedrera, which will ensure the functionality of the link and improve road safety.

We also continue to work with works in progress or about to be started, such as the Reform of the San Juan Tunnel on the A-70, for an amount of 22.1 million euros, the rehabilitation of the firm on the A-7 and the provincial boundary with Murcia, by 5.1 million in euros and in several sections of the Alicante Bypass, for 5.87 million euros As well as other works of intersection improvements, access rearrangements, renovation of road markings, construction of apartments and other issues.