AP-7/ A-2 works unblocked

Can it be true that the authorities are finally ready to go back to investing in public works? The infrastructure that perhaps best symbolizes the black hole the economy fell into with the start of the crisis in 2008 has the green light to resume works, as of yesterday. It is the link between the AP-7 motorway and the A-2 motorway, and will connect Vallès Occidental and the Baix Llobregat.

The revision of the project was discussed yesterday at the Council of State and the new budgetary conditions reflecting the increase in the cost of the works from 50 million to 76 million euro were approved. This approval does not mean that the works will begin immediately, since the notice published yesterday by the Delegation of the Spanish government in Catalonia does not specify the schedule. The last time a date was given for work to start again, it was set at May 2017. The then director general of highways, Jorge Urrecho, said that the works would begin that summer. This obviously did not happen.

The works involve a 2.4 kilometer road with a 850 meter viaduct that is expected to be used by 40,000 vehicles every day. The works began in 2006 and stopped in 2010. Since then, three projects have been drafted, the latest of which received the green light yesterday.

The Council of State also approved the new tunnel project of the Coll de l’Illa yesterday. It is to connect Valls and Montblanc via the A-27. These road works are also key, in that they connect two counties and had been stopped due to technical issues. This project involves a one and a half kilometer tunnel, and the projected period for the works is 29 months.