Railway infrastructure manager Adif is moving forward with plans to remove level crossings along the El Reguerón to Alicante railway line. Following similar studies in Crevillent and other parts of the Elche municipality, the operator has now put out a tender for the removal of two crossings in Matola at a cost of 2.9 million euro. The work aims to improve safety for both rail and road traffic at these critical junctions, located at kilometre points 27/764 and 28/962.
The proposed solution for the first point involves the construction of an accessible pedestrian footbridge near kilometre 28/962. This structure is designed to eliminate the risk of accidents by preventing pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles from crossing the tracks at grade level. The footbridge will feature a 2.5-metre wide span and access ramps, with 1.5-metre wide staircases on both sides. Handrails and protective skirting will be installed, ensuring a minimum clearance height of 2.20 metres throughout the route. The design has also been planned to accommodate a potential future doubling of the railway track.
For the second point at kilometre 27/764, road traffic will be diverted to an existing underpass located just 100 metres to the west. To facilitate this, four new link roads will be created to ensure access to nearby land parcels. Two of these roads, running parallel to the left and right margins of the track, will be five metres wide and surfaced with asphalt.
A third road will serve as the main axis on the southern side of the track, connecting to the Camí de Barbàsena. Additionally, improvements will be made to the Camino de la Poetisa de Matola Doña Teresita Quiles Mollá where it meets the Camí de Barbàsena to improve visibility. These roads are intended for motor vehicles, while pedestrians and cyclists will be directed to the new footbridge to avoid mixing with heavy traffic.
The project also includes the installation of 2.5-metre high fencing in areas near buildings to prevent unauthorised access to the tracks. Adif has set a nine-month execution period for the works once a contractor is appointed. This initiative follows other safety projects in the region, including the planned removal of crossings in Llano de San José and a 2.1 million euro project in Crevillent.