Tunnel of Somport
See also: Somport (homonymy)
The tunnel of Somport is a road Tunnel which connects the France and the Spain in the west of the Pyrenean chain. It is the result of the RN 134, element of the European route E07 Pau - Saragossa.
RN 134 crosses the Pyrenees with the Col of Somport to 1632 m of altitude. The safety of the traffic and winter viability are not easily assured. Moreover the road transit crosses the National park of the Pyrenees. The tunnel, located at the average altitude of 1150 m, makes it possible to solve these difficulties. Its access French side is on the commune of Urdos (Yrénées-Atlantiques), with the locality the Forging mills of Abel (1116 meters of altitude) in Vallée of Winder; the exit Spanish side is at the south of the agglomeration of Canfranc (1180 meters of altitude). Its layout skirts the existing railway tunnel. The Pau railway line - Canfranc is not any more in exploitation since collapse of a bridge on its layout in 1970. This one was not rebuilt, the line having been considered to be nonprofitable.
The April 25th 1991 is signed Franco-Spanish convention for the construction of this work. Work was declared of public utility by decree as a Council of State of October 18th, 1993. Work is carried out as from 1994. In 1999 certain equipment remained to carry out so that the startup of the tunnel could not intervene before 2001.
This planning was called into question by the fires which have occurred in May 1999 in the tunnels of the Mont Blanc and the the Tauern. They resulted in examining the security measures taken in the tunnels and their methods of exploitation. For the tunnel of Somport this reflection involved several additional security measures, in particular the creation of three connections between the tunnels railway and road with the right of the refuges pedestrians, thus allowing the intervention of the helps in the event of difficult access by the road tunnel.
It was inaugurated the January 17th 2003.
Features
Its length is of 8602 m, including 2848 m in France and 5754 m in Espagne.
Its width of 9 m includes/understands two ways of 3,50 m separated by a band from 1 m, and 2 edge lines of 0,50 Mr.
Financing
The financing of this tunnel was shared between France and Spain in proportion of the occupation of the territory by this tunnel. The cost reaches the 255 million euros: 160 million for Spain and 94 million for France.
Discusses
- the tunnel of Somport, if it facilitates the passage of the Pyrenees, encourages an important road traffic which must be satisfied with a road narrow and badly adapted to modern circulation.
- In addition, it forever be question of removing the railway line; officially, it must be maintained according to a convention between France and Spain, but the use of the railway tunnel as help of the road tunnel compromises the re-use of the railway tunnel to its fine first.
See too
External bonds
- Site of the Departmental management of the Equipment of the Yrénées-Atlantiques
- Beautiful photographs of the station and history of the line of train Pau-Oloron-Canfranc-Jaca
- History of the tunnel of Somport and the road of the valley of Winder
- Spanish Site
- the railway line Pau - Canfranc
Internal bonds
List of the tunnels