Spain is moving forward with the construction of the Madrid–Basque Country–French Border high-speed line by launching the expropriation procedure for properties and rights affected by the project on the Burgos–Vitoria section, specifically the subsection between the Burgos railway bypass and Valle de las Navas.
The total area subject to full expropriation amounts to 1,305,014 m², easements affect 180,187 m², and temporary occupations cover 127,245 m², intended for construction sites, storage areas, and access roads during the works.
The subsection, located in the southern part of the new Burgos–Vitoria high-speed line, is 16.7 km long and runs entirely within the province of Burgos, starting from the Burgos railway bypass, in the area of the towns of Villafría and Cótar, running parallel to the conventional line for the first 3 km up to Rubena, after which the route turns northeast to the Valle de las Navas area.
The line is designed exclusively for passenger traffic, at a maximum speed of 350 km/h, and powered by 25 kV alternating current.
Main works of the project
The project includes, among other things, the construction of six viaducts, notably the 643-meter-long viaduct over the Vena River and the 444-meter-long viaduct over the Valle Stream, which allow the route to adapt to the area’s terrain and blend into the landscape.
An artificial tunnel designed to improve cross-sectional permeability for wildlife will also be built, along with the restoration of affected roads, access routes, and utilities, as well as a 1,265-meter-long transfer zone between the two tracks, intended to improve capacity and manage rail traffic on the sub-section.
Status of the Burgos–Vitoria High-Speed Line
In February of this year, Adif AV launched the tender for works on the Burgos–Valle de las Navas railway bypass section, valued at EUR 159.2 million, as well as for the 7-km section between Manzanos and La Puebla de Arganzón, estimated at EUR 272.4 million.
The 8.4-km Pancorbo–Ameyugo section is already under construction, with the contract awarded last year for EUR 391 million.
At the same time, Adif AV is finalizing the design of the other sections in preparation for putting them out to tender.
The Burgos–Vitoria high-speed line, a strategic axis of the Atlantic Corridor, will connect the Basque Country to the high-speed network and improve communications and travel times with the center and the rest of the country, strengthening territorial cohesion and integration.
The new line will ensure the continuity of the Madrid–Valladolid–Burgos high-speed line, not only to the Basque Country, where it will connect with the line currently under construction between the three Basque capitals, but also to the French border via Irún.
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