Costa Almeria road cut to traffic following giant rock fall due to reopen intermittently

THE section of the N-340 coast road between Aguadulce and Almeria city which has been closed to traffic since a nearly four-tonne rock crashed down onto the highway on New Year’s Eve is set to reopen intermittently to traffic today Friday.
The stretch of the ‘El Cañarete’, as the road is more commonly known, was immediately cut off to vehicles in both directions following the giant rock incident and the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda is currently carrying out repair works so it can be safely reopened.
Earlier this week the Sub-delegate of the Government in Almeria, Manuel de la Fuente, announced the first phase of the repairs has now been completed, and the second phase is due to start. Meanwhile, as the Sub-delegate predicted last month would be possible, now that rocks have been cleared from the roadside embankment it can be opened at certain times to traffic.
Vehicles will be allowed to use the road from 7pm this evening to 9am on Monday. It will be closed off again to traffic from 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday while the works are being carried out, and open at the weekends without restrictions.
In the second phase of the nearly €640,000 road repair project holes will be created in the embankment and steel cables will be introduced plus a cement filling to keep them in place with a view to ensuring large rocks remain anchored.
In the third phase anti-landslide barriers will be installed to intercept any rocks which do come down and a ‘curtain guide’ to prevent falling rocks away from the barriers.
The whole job is expected to be completed by mid-May.