Back to home
Transport·

Andorra RN20 Rockslide Repairs Delayed Until 2027 Pending French Studies

Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor states that consolidation of the critical stretch near Merens awaits technical reports due this summer, with works planned to avoid peak tourist disruptions.

Synthesized from:
AltaveuEl PeriòdicARA+2

Key Points

  • RN20 rockslide repairs near Merens delayed until 2027 awaiting French technical studies due summer.
  • Critical road section between Andorra and Haute-Ariège severed by January slide.
  • Works to avoid peak tourist seasons and full shutdowns via alternatives.
  • Provisional safety measures effective with no further terrain movement.

Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor has indicated that definitive consolidation work on the RN20 stretch damaged by January's rockslide will not start before 2027, as it awaits technical studies from French authorities due by summer.

In statements to the Andorran News Agency, Tor explained that the timeline and scope of the repairs remain undetermined until those reports arrive. The most critical section lies just before Merens, a highly vulnerable zone where the slide briefly severed the road link between Andorra and Haute-Ariège.

During a preparatory meeting with Occitanie Prefect Pierre-André Durand ahead of the 10th Andorra-Occitanie Cross-Border Dialogue in Toulouse, Andorran representatives stressed the need to avoid complete road shutdowns. Both sides agreed to pursue alternative paths and time major works outside peak tourist seasons to reduce traffic impacts.

French officials are maintaining the provisional safety measures installed post-incident, including alert systems and preventive signals. Tor noted that these have remained inactive, with no terrain movement detected since initial emergency stabilisations. "This system is working well, even though it is temporary," she said.

The Toulouse discussions also covered broader cross-border cooperation, including efforts against tobacco smuggling and updates on the Foix-Ax-les-Thermes rail line, halted by February storms and expected to reopen on 30 June.

Share the article via