Adif and the Cieza City Council will improve the permeability of the railway infrastructure.
The president of Adif, María Luisa Domínguez, and the mayor of Cieza, Pascual Lucas, today presented the Cañada de la Horta underpass, which will be expanded to improve the permeability of the railway infrastructure in the capital of the Vega Alta del Segura region of Murcia.
The expansion of this underpass, located beneath the Chinchilla-Cartagena railway line at kilometer 409/264, will provide it with a two-lane road, two cycle lanes on either side (1.75 m wide each), and a sidewalk for pedestrians.
The project—part of the agreement signed between Adif and the municipal corporation—is currently in the tendering phase of the service contract for the study of alternatives and the drafting of the construction project. This project includes all the civil engineering work to expand the width and height, improve visibility for road traffic accessing the underpass from the southwest (from the urban center of the municipality of Cieza), and adapt the railway infrastructure to the drainage conditions around the underpass.
Regarding this last aspect, an analysis and corresponding adaptation are planned to eliminate the barrier posed by the railway line to surface rainwater drainage. At this point, the Barranco de la Virgen collects several basins in the Sierra de Ascoy mountain range, channeling the water through various paths that surround some of the industrial estate's warehouses directly to the road, accumulating the water on the roadway. To ensure that this circumstance does not cause flooding in the underpass, a collector will be designed under the road.
The investment in these projects amounts to €1.2 million. Of this amount, and as established in the agreement, Adif will assume 99.71% of the cost and will be responsible for managing the drafting of the construction project, as well as the bidding process, awarding of contracts, and execution of the works.
For its part, the council will manage the temporary road signage and the new routes for the underpass closure during the construction phase of the structure's expansion. It will adapt the existing roads to the new layout of the final passageway. Once the project is completed, it will assume ownership of the road and the constructed elements, as well as the subsequent maintenance and upkeep of all the works.
This action contributes to the achievement of various Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).