The Central Government has just promised that the A-7 Autovia del Mediterraneo will be completed in 2015. However, residents of Costa Tropical have been promised completion dates so many times and the goal posts have been shifted so often, nobody quite believes it anymore.
The Ministro de Fomento (Public Works) says that the lack of an autovia is top priority for the PP administration in Madrid – an “absolute priority,” were his actual words.
The ex-Mayor of Motril, now MP in the Regional Parliament, Carlos Rojas, said that the autovia that crosses the Costa Tropical will “be ready for 2015,” without stipulating exactly when; i.e. does that mean before 2015 or at some point during 2015?
He said that he obtained this answer from Madrid, “despite the Administration not liking giving dates or making promises.”
Sr. Rojas said that to finish the A-7 in Granada it would require an investment of 589m euros, which will be paid over using the German Method; i.e., the construction company receives the money upon completion, as opposed to receiving it beforehand and then being penalized if they run over the target date.
He also said that the Central Government would keep to this pledge, “unless a catastrophe occurs,” during the construction process, pointing out that the terrain is “problematic” and it is quite possible that a modification may need to be made.
Sr. Rojas recognizes that the stretch between Carchuna and Castell has had hardly any activity on it, but assures that activity will be sped up during 2014 and 2015 (this statement confirms that the A-7 won’t be finished before the commencement of 2015, by the way.) At present only 19% of this section is completed.
The Polopos-Abuñol section is 67% complete after suffering a modification to the route for geological reasons.
The Lobres-Taramay section, he says, is the part that is progressing more (workers consulted from this section claim that activity is almost at a stand still, however.)
The link between the A-7 and the A-44 (coming down from Granada) should be ready before next summer, says Sr Rojas, but bear in mind that this section has been almost complete for the best part of a year, but as it doesn’t connect to anything, it hasn’t been finished.
Finally, as for the Lobres-Taramay section, together with the Lobres-Guadalfeo, it is “hoped” that they will be finished and connected to the A-44 before the onslaught of summer 2014.
Editorial Comment: Carlos Rojas said that the Rajoy Administration doesn’t like making promises; it would have been more accurate to say, “it doesn’t like keeping them, if, when Carlos Rojas was campaigning for the completion of the A-7 when his party was in the opposition in Madrid, the then Minister had said, “2015,” he would probably have cried to the heavens in indignation… but now his party is in the driving seat, of course.
In short, we have a “pledge” with a get-out-of-jail-free card stapled to it, so don’t hold your breath.
(News: Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)