The Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has awarded a works contract for the repair of 12 pedestrian walkways between kilometers 158.92 and 197.65 of the A-7 Mediterranean Highway, as it passes through the towns of Estepona, Marbella and Mijas, a performance that will have an investment of 1.8 million euros, as reported this Wednesday the Central Government Sub-delegation in Malaga.
The intervention is included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), which plans to invest up to 357 million euros (excluding VAT) from Next Generation EU funds to modernize more than 80 tunnels and enhance the protection of wildlife and vulnerable users on the State Highway Network.
The footbridges object of this project are located in the kilometer points, according to the Mitma Bridge Management System, 158,920; 163,130; 163,700; 165,100; 183,850; 184,320; 189,070; 191,000; 192,920; 195,300; 197,100 and 197,650, which correspond to the old mileage of the A-7, since the mileage of this highway is currently being adjusted in the provinces of Almería, Granada, Málaga and Cádiz.
All walkways consist of two access ramps and the main span that crosses the highway, except for the one located at km 163,700, which in addition to the access ramps also has two access stairs, as detailed by the Ministry.
The works seek to repair the deterioration of the elements
The actions contemplated are aimed at repair the damage observed in the structuresso that their durability conditions are improved, since they are located in a marine environment as they are in the vicinity of the sea.
Thus, they have pointed out that the damage detected on walkways They can be classified into different types such as functional ones with an impact on the resistant capacity, such as spalls with visible active reinforcement; functional ones without impact on the resistant capacity, such as chips without visible active reinforcement; those of a durable nature such as superficial ones and corrosion on the railings, chips with visible reinforcement in different elements of the walkways, oxidation of metal profiles, horizontal cracks or access to structures in poor condition.
The repair actions proposed in the project are related to the railing repair, which can range from its replacement in the most serious cases to its sanding and painting in the mildest cases; or the intervention in metallic elements, for which cleaning with high-pressure water and subsequent painting has been proposed.
It also contemplates the repair in reinforced concrete elements and in the cases in which spalls have been detected with exposed reinforcement, a preliminary cleaning of the concrete surface, cleaning and passivation of the reinforcements and the restoration of the section using mortar have been proposed.
The project foresees preventive actions to improve durability
On the other hand, they have pointed out that it is expected act preventively to improve durability of the footbridges in the aforementioned kilometers as they pass through the towns of Marbella, Estepona and Mijas, and on the concrete walls “treatments will be applied with products such as corrosion inhibitors, waterproof coatings or anti-carbonation paints”.
In addition, “will be executed expansion joints between the main span and access rampsin such a way that they allow movements due to temperature changes and deformations of the structure, while presenting a surface that is as continuous as possible for pedestrian traffic”, they have added.
They have also added that “a angular aluminum as a rain gutter on the lower faces of the board to prevent water runoff towards the lower face of the same or the elevation of the work”.