Traffic restored on A-7 in Granada 7 weeks after landslide

Traffic restored on A7 in Granada 7 weeks after landslide.
THE Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) has reopened the A-7 between the Carchuna-Calahonda and Castell de Ferro junctions in Granada.
Traffic has been restored throughout the section except for the Castell de Ferro junction area, where one lane has been reopened in the direction of Malaga.
The motorway has been closed to traffic since March 11 due to a landslide on a slope next to the Castell de Ferro junction.
More than 40,000 m3 of earth has been removed “to ensure the stability of the slope to avoid further landslides and allow safe circulation”, said Mitma, but despite this, two lanes remain buried.
“On March 11 there was a landslide on the existing slope on the right bank of the A-7 motorway at exits 354 and 300. Due to its magnitude, the two carriageways of the highway were buried under the ground, especially the carriageway towards Almeria,” said the ministry in a statement.
“The slope was left in a very unstable situation, presenting important fractures, which caused a high probability of new landslides on the highway. Due to this, the A-7 motorway between the Calahonda-Carchuna and Castell de Ferro junctions was completely cut off, and traffic was diverted along the N-340 road,” it added.
The motorway was reopened yesterday, Monday, April 26, though the closure at Castell de Ferro junction will continue in one lane per direction while works are carried out.
And Malaga-bound traffic will be diverted through the Castell de Ferro junction.
“With this situation, the diversion of traffic along the N-340 road is eliminated and, although there will continue to be restrictions on circulation, the travel time on the Carchuna-Castell de Ferro section will be significantly reduced.
“Likewise, the exit at the Castell de Ferro junction in the direction of Almeria will be cut off for the time being, so traffic wanting to access Almeria in the aforementioned direction of circulation must either exit at the Calahonda – Carchuna junction (342), or continue to junction (Castillo de Baños, La Mamola) and make a U-turn,” said Mitma.

🛣️Se ha restablecido el tráfico en todo el tramo, excepto en la zona del enlace de Castell de Ferro, donde se ha habilitado un carril por sentido usando únicamente la calzada sentido #Málaga.

📽️⤵️ #DGCarreteras

🗞️Toda la información ➡️https://t.co/hXp1SNFzRw pic.twitter.com/IjUjK24XSt

— Ministerio Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (@transportesgob) April 26, 2021