The Consejo de Ministros has authorized the Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible on Tuesday to tender for 18.21 million euros (excluding VAT), through Adif, the works to renovate the track in an 18-kilometer section of the conventional gauge line Mérida-Los Rosales (Seville), as it passes through the province of Badajoz.
The aim of the intervention is to renew the components of the track superstructure, such as ballast, sleepers, and rail, between kilometer points 111 and 128/889 of this line.
The works involve replacing the existing sleepers with PR-VE type sleepers, the existing rails with UIC-54 type rails, as well as the cleaning and replacement of ballast.
Likewise, level crossings will be adapted by renewing elements on the track, as well as conditioning their accesses and cleaning the mouths of transverse drainage works.
CONSERVATION OF THE METAL BRIDGE OF MÉRIDA
These works add to the conservation and renovation actions currently being carried out on the historic metal bridge of Mérida, for which the ministry has allocated a total of 12.86 million euros. The infrastructure is located at kilometer point 1/226 of the same Mérida-Los Rosales line and, with its 605 meters, crosses the Guadiana River.
On the one hand, interventions are being made in different elements such as the substitution of the lower chord, installation of high-resistance screws, cleaning and application of protective paint; in addition to conditioning the service walkways accessed by maintenance teams.
Furthermore, its structure is being reinforced by placing support towers in two of its spans, which will allow the original geometry of the deck to be restored, as reported in a press release by the Ministry of Transport.
RENOVATION OF THE MÉRIDA-LOS ROSALES LINE
The Ministry of Transport is carrying out a comprehensive renovation of the Mérida-Los Rosales conventional railway line, which runs through the provinces of Badajoz and Seville. This project has mobilized an investment of over 106 million euros (including VAT) so far.
Prior to the authorization on Tuesday, renovation works have been carried out along a little over another 18 kilometers, covering the entire existing section between an area north of the Usagre/Bienvenida stop and the Llerena station in the province of Badajoz.
Renovation works have also been carried out on sleepers over 10.5 kilometers of the line passing through the municipalities of Cazalla, El Pedroso, and Arenillas in the province of Seville.
Furthermore, signaling and telecommunications systems have been improved. In this area, the GSM-R system, a specific digital mobile radio system for railways ensuring constant communication between train drivers and Traffic Control Centers (TCC), has been installed, as well as signaling optimization by replacing telephone block signaling on the line with an automatic remote-controlled system.
Finally, renovation works have also been carried out on unique structures of the line, such as the Rivera del Huesna bridge.