The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, highlighted in Oleiros the step forward that implies for the entire metropolitan area of A Coruña the total opening of the lower pass and the link of the “Sun and Sea”. Pedro Blanco supervised this afternoon the definitive opening to traffic of this link, accompanied by the mayor of Oleiros, Ángel García Seoane, and the subdelegate of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas.
“The completion of these works is a benefit for the 50,000 drivers who pass through this road on a daily basis, putting an end to one of the needs most demanded by the whole society of A Coruña and its environment,” said Pedro Blanco, who also described this action as “the perfect example of the commitment that the Government has to mobility in this area.” He highlighted this because these works went hand in hand with the improvements that are being made both in the remodeling of the Avenida de Alfonso Molina and in the expansion of A Ponte da Pasaxe. In total, they amount to more than 73 million euros invested, of which 12.3 (VAT included) were destined to the “Sun and Sea”.
Pedro Blanco spoke about the key role of these actions “to guarantee the quality of life of a metropolitan area in which 420,000 people live through not only their daily activities, but also their economy and even their health, taken into account in these green and more human spaces.” The delegate valued not only the investment of the Government in the area of A Coruña, also in the whole of Galicia, “where this Government multiplied by four its investment in roads to improve its performance and guarantee and correct road safety”.
Specifically, the works were carried out at kilometric point 5+190, passing through the nucleus of Perillo, in Oleiros, which replace the old semaphorized intersection of the “Sun and Sea”. This section of the AC-12, which is one of the main accesses of the city of A Coruña, has a very high traffic intensity (50,000 vehicles/day approximately), which is especially relevant both in peak hours and in the summer period and, in addition, has a significant demand for pedestrian crossings, so the construction of the works will allow the traffic of long and medium distance pass to circulate through the lower level of the new link, reserving the upper one for local traffic and pedestrian traffic.
This will mean a significant improvement both for the fluidity and safety of traffic and pedestrians, as well as for communications between existing neighborhoods on both sides of the AC-12 road, also minimizing the impacts of traffic (noise and gas emissions to the atmosphere) on the adjacent urban environment. In this line, following the Government’s municipal commitment, this section of the road will be ceded to the City of Oleiros once the works carried out have been agreed.
Regarding the execution of the works, the Ministry of Transport highlights the following facts:
- Traffic through the area of operation was maintained at all times with at least one lane for each direction of circulation.
- All the urban services affected by the works were reinstated while maintaining their functionality at all times.
- The maintenance of the pedestrian routes on both sides of the AC-12 was guaranteed, as well as access to homes, garages and commercial premises, without interrupting its activity.
Technical characteristics
Through the construction of the works, 400 meters of the trunk of the road AC-12 have been buried between walls screen of drying piles to be able to house on the upper level of the link a roundabout that will resolve the movements between the roads AC-12 (Avenida das Mariñas) and AC-174 (Rúa Areal) and in which will be located the branches that, in turn, will act as service roads for access to garages and commercial premises.
The AC-12’s underground section has 2 two-lane roadways for each direction of circulation, separated by a rigid vehicle containment system, which is properly affirmed, signposted and illuminated, equipped with a robust underpass drainage pumping system, and equipped with side finishes by vitrified steel panels, which not only improve the aesthetic finish of the work but also the luminotechnical characteristics of the underpass.
Regarding the upper level of the link, the actions of urbanization and aesthetic and landscape integration carried out have meant the creation of a new space of more than 3,000 m2 that will significantly improve the permeability and pedestrian recreation through the appearance of new humanized and landscaped areas. These works include, among other tasks, the execution of sidewalks and landscaped areas, the provision of public lighting and urban furniture to the entire area, the extension of bituminous mixtures of urban finish to finish the areas destined for traffic, the installation of a slender illuminated pedestrian walkway, with an effective width of 3 meters and 15 meters of light, which generates a new pedestrian itinerary between the Areeiros and Agramar squares, the transfer of bus stops to the immediate surroundings of the roundabout significantly improving the accessibility of users to them.
Finally, we would like to thank the City Council of Oleiros for its great cooperation during the day-to-day development of the works, as well as that of the General Directorate of Traffic, the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard and that of all the municipalities of the metropolitan area (A Coruña, Cambre and Culleredo), in terms of the authorization and signaling of the diversion of works and alternative itineraries.