ÓScar Puente inaugura tramo entre Sigüés y Tiermas tras inversión de 70.5 millones
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, presided over the inauguration of the section between Sigüés and Tiermas connection on Friday, marking the completion of the Pireno Highway (between Jaca and Pamplona) in the province of Zaragoza, after an investment of 70.5 million euros, VAT.
He was accompanied by the Minister of Education and the Secretary General of PSOE-Aragón, Pilar Alegría; the Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano; the Delegate of the Government of Aragón, Fernando Beltán; and the Mayor of Sigüés, Eduardo Abadía, among other authorities.
This new 6.6-kilometer section connects to the two adjacent operating sections, adding 73 kilometers of continuous highway between Pamplona and the provincial boundary between Zaragoza and Huesca, enhancing road safety and connectivity between autonomous communities. It also reinforces Aragón’s role as a logistical and communication node.
«These axes not only improve communication and reduce travel times, but also enhance the economic development of the area, deserving all our support. Aragón is much more than a transit point between Madrid and Barcelona. Strengthening its role as a logistical and communication node in northeastern Spain also enhances its connections with France and Europe,» said the Ministry of Transport.
In this context, Óscar Puente emphasized that this new section of the A-21, which extends the strategic eastern axis articulating the northern Iberian Peninsula, will significantly improve road safety compared to the current N-240 and bring significant economic and social benefits to an area facing development challenges, «enhancing access to activities.»
Additionally, the new section will reduce travel time by six minutes, improving access for local residents to public services such as hospitals, schools, and social services, enhancing safety, and creating new opportunities.
The Ministry of Transport invested 1.710 million euros in 2018 solely for improving and expanding the road network, making it the second community in Spain in road investments, behind only Castilla y León, according to Puente.
The Minister reaffirmed commitments made with the President of the Government of Aragón during a meeting held in Canfranc six months ago. «We are aware that Aragón is facing depopulation challenges and the need for territorial integration. And we respond with actions,» he said. Therefore, he reiterated the plan to tender the JACA variant works in a few months and announced that in May, the commercial service of the Huesca Canfranc railway line will start operating, with ADIF carrying out significant rehabilitation work.
«After Easter, we plan to start training operators and work on the forecast to begin commercial operation of the line by the end of May,» he announced.
Regarding other commitments that have already been fulfilled, the Minister highlighted the completion in December of the Ventamillo-Congosto Tunnels on the N-260 road after an investment of 90 million euros; progress on the section between Lanave and Sabiñánigo on the A-23 highway, with an investment of 102.4 million euros; and the announcement that the viaduct in Sabiñánigo could be operational this year.
Work on the Siétamo-Huesca section of the A-22 highway, with a current budget of 61.5 million euros (including VAT), is in its final stages and expected to be completed within a year or less.
The new 6.6-kilometer road section features two lanes with a 3.50-meter wide roadway, a 2.50-meter reinforced outer edge, and a one-meter interior edge.
Passing through rugged terrain, the construction included lights and terraces up to 61.5 meters high, as well as two viaducts and two tunnels—Esto and Arroz—equipped with efficient LED lighting, safety and emergency facilities, emergency generators, and barrier systems, all compliant with European regulations.
Due to the significant fauna in the area, the construction of the San Martín false tunnel was necessary. With a length of 202 meters, it will function as an ecoduct connecting natural habitats on both sides of the road for wildlife.
Additionally, ten fauna passages, seven adapted drainage works for tunnels and viaducts, and measures to ensure road permeability for local wildlife were implemented to minimize the barrier effect.
To enhance environmental integration, landscape integration actions were carried out by reviewing all areas affected by the construction, maintaining continuity with rural roads, ensuring transversal permeability for agricultural vehicles, and preserving the potential for the Santiago Way recovery, as reported by the Minister.
FUENTE
