Walter Finch
THE vital highway connecting Ronda to San Pedro del Alcantara will partially reopen next Monday July 14.
The strategic A-397 route has been closed since March 8 when Storm Jana triggered a massive landslide in Benahavís that blocked the carriageway and severely damaged a bridge.
But sources told the Olive Press that the Junta will be ‘in a position to reopen it to traffic next Monday the 14th.’
“One lane for a while, but its a start,” the source added.
The partial reopening, some 15 days ahead of schedule, will allow alternating single-lane traffic whilst final repairs continue.
READ MORE: Beware Spain’s new traffic light radars – and the fines if they catch you running a red
Workers are currently completing the bridge deck concreting, with beams manufactured locally in the Ronda region.
Remaining tasks include installing lateral barriers, road surfacing, drainage systems and signage.
The Junta’s Public Works Department, which owns the road, had initially planned a four-and-a-half-month timeline for partial reopening.
However, Public Works Minister Rocío Díaz personally committed to accelerating the schedule given the route’s strategic importance.
READ MORE: Spain and Morocco to be connected by zero-emission fast ferries for the first time
Full normality with two-way traffic is expected by September.
The closure has caused mounting frustration among thousands of daily commuters who travel between the Serranía de Ronda and the Costa del Sol. Alternate routes have seen the journey take over two hours – a nightmare for residents who commute daily.
Emergency repair work, costing €4.5 million rather than the originally estimated €3.7 million, has been ongoing seven days a week with crews working round the clock.
The additional costs arose from unexpected risks that required controlled blasting and specialist vertical access work on the extremely steep terrain.
Click here to read more Costa Del Sol News from The Olive Press.
