The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has awarded 8.5 million euros (VAT included) for road renovation works at different points of the section of the conventional line between Cortes de Navarra and Castejón de Ebro, as it passes through Navarra, with the aim of increasing its capacity and reliability.
The action, executed by Adif, includes the assembly of some 48,000 new and higher performance sleepers at different points of this line of 39.6 km and double track, and the laying of new lane different points. Specifically, the sleepers will be renewed in 14.7 km of track 1 and 14.2 km in track 2 and 60.3 km of rail will be changed between the two strands of track 1; and 35.3 km between the two strands of track 2.
In addition, electrification, signalling and communication facilities will be adapted, and reinforcement and improvement of drains will be carried out in different points of the road infrastructure.
Improvement investments in the connection between Corridors
The Ministry allocates a global investment of about 60 million euros (VAT included), to reinforce the reliability of three railway sections connecting the Atlantic and Mediterranean Corridors, to respond to the increase in traffic flows of both passengers and goods.
Thus, to these works now awarded is added another recent award, for 7.2 million euros, for similar renovation works in the next section, the Castejón de Ebro-Tafalla (of 34.9 km), which will modernize a conventional network route as it passes through Navarre of about 75 km.
To these will be added those of the route linking Navarra and La Rioja, the Castejón de Ebro-Fuenmayor (of 80.3 km), currently in tender.
In addition, through another investment of 10.7 million euros (VAT included), the new sleepers are already awarded for the work on these three railway routes, while the tender for the supply of rail is completed.
It should be noted that Adif will face the works so that they are compatible with the railway service, programming them at night without commercial service.
Conventional network modernization and high speed boost
The Ministry adds these actions to those already under way to modernize the conventional network, while promoting the development of the high-speed network.
Thus, on the Castejón-Alsasua line also in Navarre, the extension of the section roads of the Caparroso, Carrascal and Uharte-Arakil stations to 750 m has just been awarded, in order to be able to park trains of that length and promote the transport of goods.
In terms of passenger traffic, this conventional line will be the one that will connect with the layout of the new high-speed line of Navarre that is currently being built, to start it once it is finished through a link in Castejón, from which the drafting of the project has already been contracted.
For its part, in La Rioja, the construction of the Rincon de Soto Variant (9.3 km) is promoted while the drafting of the project to renew the Castejón-Logroño railway route (70.5 km) to expand its capacity and allow an increase in circulation speeds.
These actions contribute to the achievement of SDGs number 9 (promotion of reliable, sustainable and quality infrastructures), 7 (sustainability) and 8 (economic growth and promotion of employment).