ALTZOLA RAILWAY BY-PASS

Area of activity
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES

Service
Railways, subway and LRT

Client
ETS – Euskal Trenbide Sarea

Scope

• Preliminary study development

Duration
2009-2010

The railway lines managed by ETS have a high percentage of their length with single-track routes, which makes their operation (basically for passenger traffic) very difficult, and limits their overall transport capacity considerably. This makes freight transport minimal. In order to find solutions to this situation, a series of studies have been carried out for the possible duplication of sections on the Bilbao-San Sebastián suburban line.

The section that is the subject of this study belongs to the Bilbao-San Sebastian line, and is located in the neighbourhood of Altzola. It runs on a single track for an approximate length of 1,700 m, along a fairly winding route with the most singular elements being the 47 m Kortazar tunnel, the 32 m Gañecua tunnel, the Gañecua pedestrian level crossing, the Altzola halt with a single platform and the Barazeta pedestrian level crossing.

The purpose of this informative study is to define the works corresponding to the new metric gauge double track railway line in Altzola. The study also contemplates the construction of a new surface station which will be accessible from the N-634 along a 70 m route.

The ‘Altzola Bypass’, included in the action plan foreseen for the central area of the Bilbao-San Sebastián network and part of the project to improve rail transport in the Bajo Deba region, will be carried out through the construction of a new double-track tunnel. This solution will reduce the route by nearly 500 m, as well as facilitating the crossing of passenger and freight units, eliminating three (rural) level crossings, replacing the current halt with a new one in Torrekua and increasing passenger and freight traffic to Mendaro.

The new layout is intended to improve the conditions of the current route, travel times and passenger comfort and safety conditions, minimizing and reducing as much as possible the impact on the infrastructure and maintenance work.