Numerous projects, including commuter rail, high-speed rail, and port connections.
Agreements between the Ministry of Public Works and the Catalan government will allow construction of the train line at El Prat Airport to begin this spring, with the railway access routes to be put out to bid in March. The agreements also call for track widening and even a new station for Girona Airport.
The main projects that have been agreed upon are:
Widening of Route 3. Agreement to partially expand the R3 commuter rail line in three sections, based on the proposal submitted by the Generalitat. The construction projects are expected to go out to bid next month, with an estimated investment of 95 million euros. The three sections that have been prioritized are those that can ensure the most significant improvement in the line’s capacity, with trains running every fifteen minutes.
Priority Action Plan: The Ministry of Public Works has confirmed that by 2016, priority projects valued at 306 million euros to improve commuter rail service in Catalonia will have been completed or will be underway. These projects are aimed at increasing the safety, reliability, and functionality of the service.
High-Speed Rail at Girona Airport: This spring, the Catalan Government and the Ministry of Public Works will formalize an agreement for the regional government to build a high-speed rail station connecting to Girona Airport. The estimated investment is about ten million euros. This station will be located two kilometers from the airport and will be connected by a shuttle bus service with a travel time of about five minutes. The high-speed rail station at Girona Airport will significantly reduce travel time to the airport. For example, the trip from Barcelona would take about thirty minutes.
Rail Access to the Port of Barcelona: A call for bids is expected next month for the construction of the rail access to the Port of Barcelona, with an investment of approximately 100 million euros, to be financed 50 percent by the Port of Barcelona and 50 percent by the Ministry of Public Works. This project involves the construction of a new, independent rail access line with sufficient capacity for freight to serve the southern expansion of the port facility. The project will promote rail freight traffic and improve the port’s mobility, both in terms of its external connections and its internal network.
As for the new access roads to the Port of Barcelona, construction is underway, and work is being carried out to reroute the affected utilities.
