The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, visited the Valencia Access Canal construction site, which is entering a decisive phase with 75% of the planned investment to transform rail mobility in the province already contracted, two years after the start of the works.

In total, 665 million euros will be invested in a railway and urban development project "key to building the Valencia of the future: more connected, more sustainable, and with a higher quality of life," the Minister stated after touring the construction site.

Thus, after the old tracks have been lifted above ground and all rail traffic has been channeled through temporary sidings, progress is being made on the excavation of the 1.2 km tunnel, with the majority of the tunnel expected to be completed during 2025.

"We can now consider the second phase of the project complete, and after two years of work, we are entering the most productive phase of the project, which will allow the majority of the future tunnel to be completed throughout 2025," he noted, emphasizing that the work is being carried out while maintaining rail traffic.

Furthermore, work is underway on the comprehensive remodeling of the Joaqun Sorolla high-speed station. As the minister announced, work will begin in the coming weeks to configure 10 standard-gauge tracks and on the elevated concourse that will provide access to the new tracks. As part of the station's transformation, a new parking lot and urban improvements to the surrounding area are also planned, and work on the office floor and the new commercial building has already been completed.

"This is an ambitious plan to revolutionize mobility in Valencia, integrate the railway into the urban fabric, and definitively strengthen the Mediterranean Corridor," insisted Óscar Puente.

Both projects, the Access Channel and the station remodeling, represent key operations for the integration of the railway into the Valencian capital and involve an investment of 500 million. In addition to other complementary works, such as the civil projection and safety installations in the tunnels; progress in the replacement of the southern collector with the construction of the screens that make up its lateral structure; the gauge changer, pending tender, and a train parking facility in Fuente de San Luis; and the new control, command, and signaling facilities, bringing the aforementioned investment to 665 million.

This project includes the integration of the access roads to the València Nord and València Joaqun Sorolla stations, contributing to neighborhood cohesion and freeing up land for urban development in the city. This will promote more sustainable, integrated, and intelligent mobility, centered on rail as the primary means of transport.

Access Channel and Joaqun Sorolla

Regarding the Access Channel works, the minister explained that work is being accelerated with the excavation of the tunnel in the space vacated between Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell and the Iturbi building (near the Joaqun Sorolla station), of which 350 m of the total 1,200 m have currently been excavated.

The tunnel is being built using the "cut and cover" system, or false tunnel technique, which involves the construction of the side walls from the surface of the tunnel, which is finally covered by a concrete slab. First, the screens are inserted into the ground, followed by earth pouring or excavation. Thus, more than 1,600 m of screens and several sections of slab have already been installed, and more than 60 affected services have been restored.

In parallel Work is already underway on the new passenger services building and the new facilities building at Joaqun Sorolla station, with structures beginning to be erected. The project includes the construction of new platforms and the remodeling of the existing ones, creating a 10-track standard-gauge layout to respond to "the growth in passenger traffic that will occur with the improvement of the commuter rail network and the development of the Mediterranean Corridor," the minister stated.

Meanwhile, work is expected to begin in a few weeks to remodel the station's tracks and elevated concourse. This consists of a new platform over the existing tracks to provide access to the new 400 m tracks. This includes the installation of stairs and elevators between the platforms and concourse, as well as the roof, a key element of the project.

In addition, the new pedestrian route between València Nord and València Joaqun Sorolla stations has been operational since March 1st, with pergolas and street furniture being installed.

Ineco supports Adif in the comprehensive coordination of the Valencia Access Canal works, acting as a liaison with the construction company, providing technical assistance, and the various organizations involved. Its responsibilities include monitoring ongoing projects and providing technical support throughout the process. The company has implemented drones for monitoring tasks, allowing the public to check the status of the works in the BIM immersion room at Joaqun Sorolla Station. A team of professionals with expertise in rail traffic, track, railway projects, drone pilots, and more will be complemented by a group of ORATs (Residential and Commercial Engineers) to ensure proper operation at the station.

Other railway investments

In his speech, Minister Óscar Puente also referred to other railway investments underway in Valencia. Thus, in parallel with the execution of this integration project, the Ministry is working on the design of the new Valencia Central Station, for which the drafting of the studies and projects was put out to tender in January for 30.26 million (VAT included).

Meanwhile, "we continue working on the informative study of the through tunnel and its environmental assessment, with my commitment to extend it to Albuixech and protect the orchard," Puente stated.

The minister also emphasized the efforts made on the Valencian commuter rail network, where, in recent years, 370 million has been spent on direct projects, and another 1.2 billion in projects are in the planning, execution, or already completed phase. In this regard, a few days ago, work began on the complete renovation of the Xtiva-Alcoy line.

Furthermore, the Council of Ministers yesterday authorized an investment of 12.5 million in works to complete the high-speed upgrade at Alicante station, and during the month of March, contracts worth 150 million were awarded to adapt the La Encina-Alicante and La Encina-Xtiva-Valencia sections to high-speed rail.

In 2024, 860 million was invested in the Valencian Community to improve infrastructure, with two out of every three euros (540 million) allocated to railways, a figure that has been growing in recent years, up from 160 million in 2021.

Along these lines, more than 1.3 billion was invested in the Mediterranean Corridor in 2024.

Reconstruction after the DANA

Óscar Puente placed special emphasis on the Ministry's efforts to rebuild infrastructure following the DANA tragedy last October, and thanked the staff of Adif, Renfe, and the construction companies for their work and dedication.

In this regard, more than 200 million has been allocated to restore rail service on commuter lines C-1 and C-2, even ahead of schedule. Work continues "nonstop, on holidays and weekends, to reconstruct the 80 km line C-3 between Adaia and Utiel." This opportunity is being taken to carry out a comprehensive renovation, including three large bridges and adapting the route for electrification.

Funding

The Valencia Access Canal is a project promoted by the Valencia Parque Central Society, financed by Adif AV (50%), the Valencian Government (25%), and the Valencia City Council (25%).

The Valencia Access Canal works and the remodeling of the Joaqun Sorolla station have received European funding through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. Funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU).

These actions contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Source: Gobierno de Espaa - Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (Government of Spain - Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility).