- The Minister of Territorial Policy, Public Works and Mobility has checked the progress of the work being carried out in Dénia and Gata de Gorgos.
- The planned work involves 17 kilometres of railway track and has a budget of over 30 million euros.
The Minister of Territorial Policy, Public Works and Mobility, Arcadi España, has announced in Dénia that the Benidorm-Dénia Line 9 of the TRAM d’Alacant will be in operation in early 2023.
During his visit to the track renovation works on the section linking Teulada and Dénia, passing through Gata, on Line 9 of the TRAM d’Alacant, the Minister explained that the goal is for Dénia and Benidorm to be connected by the end of term as “all the administrative procedures are completed and now all that is left is to finalise the works that involve redoing or duplicating bridges, as well as safety tests to be performed after completion”. He also said that Gata will be able to have railway access by the end of next year.
For the Minister the modernisation of L9 of the Tram d’Alacant “is the most important action that the Generalitat Valenciana has taken in terms of transport in the whole of the Valencian Community”. Accordingly, he highlighted “the investment effort of the Generalitat to activate the economy and generate employment and commitment to public transport in an area such as La Marina that needs it for economic recovery”.
Thus, the head of Public Works has highlighted the investment of the Generalitat of 30 million for the overall modernisation of Line 9, of which 15 million euros are for the section between Dénia and Gata.
During the course of this visit, the Minister first went to Dénia to see the state of the refurbishment and tramway renovation works that are being carried out in the municipality.
Arcadi España explained that “the planned proceedings in Dénia will allow the urban integration of the tracks, transforming the level crossings into crossings with traffic lights and removing the walls that close off the tracks, achieving a much more accessible avenue integrated into the city, putting an end to the division caused by the trenet when it cut off the Southern part of Dénia”.
The Minister then travelled to Gata de Gorgos to see the restoration and expansion project for the platform of the centennial stone viaduct, located in the municipal district of this town. The Minister ensured that “we must value the excellent heritage that is this viaduct”.
Arcadi España added that “the Generalitat is carrying out different actions on this line with the aim of achieving its renovation and comprehensive modernisation. To date, more than 130 million euros have been allocated to recover the rail service between Benidorm and Dénia and to achieve quality standards comparable to the rest of the regional network in Alicante”.
Works between Teulada and Dénia
The renovation works between Teulada and Dénia involve about 17 kilometres of track and correspond to the last section included in the modernisation project of this line. Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) is currently carrying out significant construction projects between Teulada-Gata de Gorgos and Gata de Gorgos-Dénia, with a joint amount of more than 30 million euros.
Work began on the Teulada-Gata de Gorgos section in August of this year, with a planned completion period of 12 months. Among the most important actions carried out on this section, together with the track renovation itself, is the fitting of the vertical gauge of the tunnels.
Between Gata de Gorgos and Dénia, the planned works have been underway since May of this year, with a timeframe of 11 and a half months. As part of this proceeding, the tramway renovation of the urban layout of Dénia is planned.
This action is intended to achieve a comprehensive renovation and modernisation of this section of Line 9 in terms of rail, sleepers and ballast. The work is aimed at improving safety conditions, promoting user comfort, track durability and reducing maintenance.
A large part of the infrastructure of this section, especially embankments, drainage and slopes, requires reinforcement work.
In parallel with these actions, FGV has already granted the purchase of the supply of sleepers and rails for the renovation of these two sections. The public company has thus made the purchase of 19,000 monoblock metric gauge concrete sleepers for the amount of 1,643,785 euros, including VAT, and 30,600 linear meters of 54E1 grade R260 railroad track, at a cost of 1,443,572.77 euros, also including the aforementioned tax.
This work, like the rest of the works carried out on this line, is likely to be co-financed by the European Union through the Operational Programme of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Other operations carried out on Line 9
Parallel to the renovation works, last July FGV began to implement the remodelling of the platforms and improve accessibility of stations and stops of part of Line 1 (Benidorm-Alicante) and Line 9 (Benidorm-Dénia) for an amount of 11.7 million euros.
These works will enable the current platforms to be fitted out for passenger access to the new low-floor hybrid trains that FGV has incorporated, for the time being on Lines 1 and 3 in Alicante. This investment will involve 7 stations and stops on Line 9 and nine other stops on Line 1 have been included, on the section between Benidorm and Cala Piteres, to help improve accessibility.
To this set of actions is added the construction of a railway bypass next to the current viaduct over the Quisi ravine.
The signposting, communication, energy and ATP works, with a budget of close to 17 million euros, are being carried out as the new sections are brought into service, until Line 9 is fully completed.
