Andorra Resumes Blasting at Rocafort Tunnel After Resident Complaints

Blasting operations at the north portal of Andorra's Rocafort tunnel have resumed with around 10 detonations planned for October, following a halt prompted by resident complaints.

Construction firms notified nearby residents by posting signs at affected buildings near the worksite. The notices provide contact details for the companies and the environmental monitoring firm to address queries or damage claims. Residents had reported unusually strong blasts, vibrations damaging homes, and stones propelled by explosions during the week before work stopped on 11 September.

Drilling with a boring machine continued at the portal during the suspension. Firms anticipate two more months of excavation that may generate noise and vibrations, with advance notice for any further blasts. They reiterated apologies for disruptions and urged owners and tenants to document any damage with photos and descriptions for repair handling.

The government confirms the restart will not delay the project, set for completion in July 2027. Work intensified last August with a second tunnel boring machine starting from the north end, after earthmoving reduced the terrain by about 25 metres for access.

Budgeted at nearly €26 million, the tunnel seeks to reroute some 18,000 daily vehicles—peaking at 25,000 on holidays—from the urban centre, improving safety and flow. It will include two southbound lanes, one northbound, and 100-metre access roads at each end.

The Vial Lauredià section began in mid-October 2024, with a €1.9 million phase to stabilise the mountainside and protect workers.