30 June 2014
The Costa Tropical is celebrating the grand opening of the new two sections of the A-7 motorway that will allow high speed road travel between Motril and Málaga. The Minister of Public Works, Ana Pastor, will be in charge of cutting the ribbon to launch the two new sections between Taramay-Tobres and Lobres-Guadalfeo. The work took so long that six ministers had been in office between the start and end of the road construction. From 1996, three ministers from the Popular Party and two from the Socialist Party. The minister responsible for the Development office will be inaugurating just over 10 kilometers of motorway divided into two sections, the Taramay-Lobres stretch (7.7 km) and the Lobres-Guadalfeo (2.35). The deadline that was set by the Government sub-delegate in Granada, Santiago Pérez, has been met. He announced last January that the public works would be completed by mid July, so on fact it is slightly early.
On thursday, highway workers were busy trying to finish the last remaining tasks. One of the key areas this last few days was on the highway’s 314 km marker, near the access to Almuñecar and the viaduct of Taramay, which links this last town with Itrabo. Horizontal and vertical signage and the fitting of ditches and installing guardrails and other works on the side areas of the highway were among the works needed to finish the roadwork. Regarding budget, the central government had to spend additional funds during the present administration to pay for modifications and complementary works in the Autovía del Mediterraneo. For instance, the stretch between Taramay and Lobres has received an additional 15 million euros and a complement of 25 million and the other stretch, Lobres-Guadalfeo required an additional 1.6 million euros in terms of complements.
Many citizens and businessmen were eagerly awaiting the opening by Minister Ana Pastor, since it will improve road travel and promote the development of Granada’s coastline. With the opening of the A-7 highway’s stretch between the A-44 highway and Almuñecar, the intense weekend traffic jams in the area of highway 340 as it passes through Motril, Salobreña and Nerja should be put to an end. In addition, the province is now opened to western Andalucía with a high performance roadway. Transfer from Nerja to Granada, a very popular route, will now be under 1 hour.
So from now on, drivers who choose to take the A-44 from the capital city to descend 738 meters above sea level not only will be able to do so to reach Almuñecar, but also will be able to reach the nearby Málaga towns of Nerja, Torrox, or Torre del Mar (Vélez-Málaga). Until yesterday, it wasn’t possible without having to travel via the old N-340. From now on, the 33 kilometer stretch between the link with the Autovía del Mediterraneo and highway A-44 and La Herradura will allow traffic to drive around the Motril Valley.
The rest of the highway’s construction will take place during the rest of the year. An additional 9.2 kilometers on the opposite side will be built between La Gorgoracha-Puntalón separate the connection between the road Bailén-Motril and el Puntalón-Carchuna (which was opened to traffic last March). Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy hopes it will be finished before the end of his term in office. The same applies to the 10.1 kilometers of the stretch between Carchuna-Castel de Ferro. Prior to the month of December, the stretch of 14.84 kilometers between Polopos-Albuñol will be completed.
Work on the A-7 highway is nearly totally complete. Construction within the province of Granada will end when three sections are finished. Meanwhile in the western coast, they are celebrating today’s milestone with great joy.
