Andorra asks Spain to expand the N-145 highway with a reversible lane
The Government presents a study on the possibilities of opening up the mobility network
ANDORRA LA VELLA (ANDORRA), 7 Dec. (EUROPEAN PRESS) –
The Government of Andorra has transferred to the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) and the Ministry of Mobility and Urban Agenda of Spain a request to widen the N-145 road, which connects the Principality with La Seu d’Urgell, with a reversible third rail.
This was announced by the director of Mobility of the Andorran executive, Jaume Bonell, during the appearance he made before the Territorial Policy and Economy commission, together with the Minister of Territory and Housing, Víctor Filloy, and the Minister of the Presidency, Economy and Business , Jordi Gallardo, to present the results of the study on the possibilities of opening up the Andorran mobility network.
The study puts on the table the options to unlock the Principality in a “feasible, viable and manageable” way, Gallardo has remarked, and that not only allow connecting with neighboring countries, but also allow the arrival of the public from more distant territories .
Bonell has detailed that the possible rail connections through both Spain and France have been taken into account, the possibilities of linking the Andorra-la Seu airport with the Principality with a “faster and more agile” route than the current highway, as well as the possible investments that both the Spanish and the French executive have planned for the roads with influence towards Andorra.
And it is precisely taking into account the investments that the Spanish government foresees that during the meetings with the DGT and the Ministry of Mobility and Urban Agenda the possibility of expanding the N-145 has been raised.
Bonell explained that Andorra has a capacity to leave the country of about 1,000 vehicles per hour, through two lanes, while the Spanish highway, with one lane in each direction, can only absorb 750.
This situation causes, at times of great influx, long delays that collapse the Andorran roads to the center of the country, Bonell pointed out.
According to the director of Mobility, the Spanish authorities have received the proposal positively and the ministry has promised to study its feasibility, while the DGT “immediately bought the idea” and has promised to help and defend it, has saying
The study also includes a proposal to build the Solana del Pas de la Casa highway that would offer a second exit to France from the border town, the rail connection from l’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre to Canillo, Encamp or Andorra la Vella, the connection with La Seu d’Urgell through segregated transport, the rail connection with Spain or the possibilities offered by the national heliport that has been projected in Pal.
However, it highlights the difficulties of rail connections due to the high economic cost they entail, estimating the train that would link Alp and La Seu d’Urgell at almost 700 million, and the investment needed to to make the train arrive from France, so they would not be the priority for now.
In this way, the final conclusion of the study and the will of the Executive is to prioritize those options that depend “exclusively” on Andorra and that are really feasible from an economic point of view.
Thus, one of the priorities would be the Solana highway, which, with a length of 6.4 kilometers and a cost of 59 million, would recover a project that had already been put on the table years ago and which would allow a reduction of 4 kilometers the current route was made by France in addition to guaranteeing the management of winter roads from Andorra.
Special interest has also been shown in the possibility of creating segregated transport, called REC (regular, electric and collective), using a road parallel to the N-145 known as the ‘rec dels quatre pobles’ and which would connect both with the airport as with the Seu.
Bonell has made it clear that it would be “electric and sustainable” transport, which would not necessarily have to be with iron wheels or catenaries and that it could even be considered driverless, with an estimated investment of around 130 million euros.
Finally, the other infrastructure that is considered key is the future national heliport, which is believed to present a “very hopeful future” thanks to the future aircraft that could operate in it.
Even so, the Minister of the Presidency has made it clear that the Government’s roadmap involves promoting the Andorra-la Seu d’Urgell airport, closing the tender to build the national heliport in Pal and analyzing the feasibility of the REC.
Also analyze the new Solana del Pas de la Casa road and finally, and in terms of internal mobility, analyze whether it is feasible to implement a cable transport system and a tram.