RN-20 Road to Andorra Reopens Two-Way Traffic Seven Weeks Early After Landslide

The Ariege prefecture has announced that the RN-20 road, Andorra's primary link from France, will reopen to two-way traffic on March 9, 2026—seven weeks ahead of the original three-month closure forecast after a January 31 landslide between Merens-les-Vals and Ax-les-Thermes.

Prefect Hervé Brabant attributed the accelerated timeline to a more stable slope than expected, which allowed crews to restore pre-incident safety conditions faster. Motion sensors now track potential rockfalls on the mountainside, connected to an upstream traffic light system that activates flashing red lights to halt vehicles immediately. Brabant emphasized strict adherence: drivers must stop at red signals and refrain from parking in the risk zone to safeguard users and maintain traffic flow. He noted that such systems are standard on other French mountain roads.

Andorran Head of Government Xavier Espot welcomed the update after discussions with French authorities, including a call from the Occitanie prefect. He highlighted the benefits for Pas de la Casa and the ski industry, with full two-way access under the semaphoric controls that would trigger only in exceptional cases. French technical assessments confirm circulation can resume at prior safety levels, Espot said, adding that any driver bypassing a red light would face full personal liability.

Provisional fixes have addressed the most urgent spots, but geological challenges remain unresolved. Definitive works, expected within 12 to 18 months, will involve coordinated closures during Andorra's low season to minimize disruptions to tourism and the economy. Additional rockfall analysis continues, followed by a brief shutdown for further interventions and a comprehensive risk review to pinpoint other vulnerabilities. Espot acknowledged that precise schedules for these steps are still under development.