Rocafort Tunnel Drilling Begins in Andorra After Delays

The Rocafort tunnel project in Sant Julià de Lòria has reached a key milestone, with drilling set to begin mid-March after significant delays. The tunnel boring machine was positioned and ready by late afternoon on Thursday, marking the start of the excavation phase.

Work on the project began in October 2024, divided into two main stages. The first involved installing slope protection at both the northern and southern entrances to prevent rockfalls, a critical safety measure for construction and future traffic. With those protections now in place, crews can proceed to the second phase: excavating the 233-metre tunnel behind the Riera building and building 100-metre access roads at each end.

Originally slated for mid-2023, the drilling was pushed back repeatedly. Territory and Urban Planning Minister Raül Ferré had cited December, then late January, as possible starts. The overall project, budgeted at around €24 million and funded through multi-year credits, remains on track for completion in 2027. Officials have yet to decide whether to introduce night shifts to accelerate progress.

The tunnel forms phases 1 and 2 of a larger bypass route for Sant Julià de Lòria, designed to divert an estimated 25,000 daily vehicles—much of Andorra's border traffic with Spain—away from the busy Avinguda Francesc Cairat and town centre. Phases 3 and 4, including the existing Tàpia tunnel, were built during Josep Pintat Forné's second term as head of government (2008-2011) and opened to traffic in December 2012 at a combined cost of €37.5 million.

At the October groundbreaking, Head of Government Xavier Espot described the infrastructure as fulfilling an electoral commitment. Ferré called it a "before and after" for the parish bypass, noting its seamless integration with the surroundings.

Local leaders are already planning ahead. Sant Julià de Lòria's mayor, Cerni Cairat, said the bypass would reduce traffic fumes and hazards in the centre, prompting a rethink of urban design and mobility. "If people live and walk well in the parish, it will drive social development and economic growth," he stated. The commune aims to implement changes in phases during its current term, well before the tunnel opens.

Cairat hailed the project as realising a long-standing local demand, pursued by previous mayors Montserrat Gil, Josep Vila, and Josep Majoral. He described it as an "inflection point" addressing years of underinvestment in parish infrastructure. First proposed early this century, the full bypass sparked heated debates involving the commune, government, and citizen groups, turning a vital mobility upgrade into a polarised issue.