Sorigué, through its company Acsa, together with SANJOSE Constructora, has begun construction work on the High-Speed Rail Platform between the towns of Torre Pacheco and Cartagena to extend the Madrid-Levante line. 

The contract, valued at 128.4 million euros, was awarded by Adif and involves the construction of a double-track platform spanning 8.96 km, running parallel to the existing conventional gauge Chinchilla-Cartagena line. 

The project also includes the construction of a viaduct, a 750-metre siding on the conventional line, and seven overpasses. 

Challenges of the work 

The project is highly complex as the route must be integrated sensitively into an irrigated agricultural area, navigate crossings with roads and motorways, and reinforce transverse drainage to mitigate potential heavy rainfall events.One of the initial tasks is the replacement of the flood-prone Chinchilla – Cartagena section with a double viaduct, each 210 metres long, over the Rambla del Albujón. 

Additionally, as the level crossing on the RM-311 road is eliminated, a new overpass will be built to span both the existing line and the new high-speed platform. 

New overpasses will also be constructed to accommodate the crossings of the AP-7 motorway and the A-30 dual carriageway over both railway lines, along with four additional overpasses on the new high-speed line. These overpasses will facilitate crossings and livestock tracks in the agricultural area, ensuring connectivity on both sides of the railway. 

Another key element is the construction of a 750-metre siding near the Pozo Estrecho industrial estate to support the crossing and parking of freight trains on the conventional Chinchilla-Cartagena line, promoting freight traffic in the area. 

Track record and expertise 

With 70 years of experience, Sorigué is renowned for its ability to deliver major infrastructure projects. Among its most notable projects are the construction of Lines 9 and 10 of the Barcelona Metro, the longest in Europe at 48 km, and the construction of the Córdoba Northern Bypass, which was awarded this year as the ‘Best Local Engineering Project in Andalusia’ by the governing board of the Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla branch of the College of Civil Engineers (CICCP). 

Currently, in the railway sector, Sorigué, together with Contratas Vilor, is responsible for building Section II of the new access to the southern dock of the Port of Castellón, connecting the port to the Mediterranean Corridor and boosting intermodal freight traffic.