Envalira Tunnel

Envalira Tunnel

Envalira Tunnel Location in the eastern Pyrenees of Europe
Overview
Location	Europe: eastern Pyrenees
Coordinates	42°32′24″N 1°43′11″E / 42.540056°N 1.719606°E / 42.540056; 1.719606Coordinates: 42°32′24″N 1°43′11″E / 42.540056°N 1.719606°E / 42.540056; 1.719606
Status	Open 24 hrs/day
Start	Pas de la Casa, Encamp, Andorra
End	Grau Roig, Encamp, Andorra
Operation
Work begun	August 1999
Constructed	1999–2002
Opened	2002
Operator	Globalvia
Traffic	Automotive
Character	Passenger & freight
Toll	€6.40 (one-way), 2013 passenger vehicle
Technical
Length	2.050 km (1.274 mi)
Number of lanes	2
Operating speed	40–70 km/h (25–43 mph)[1]
Highest elevation	2,052 m (6,732 ft) Grau Roig
Lowest elevation	2,043 m (6,703 ft) Pas de la Casa

The Envalira Tunnel runs between Pas de la Casa near the border with France and Grau Roig (Ski resort), it enables its users to avoid the Envalira Pass. It is amongst the highest road tunnels in Europe.

Although situated within the borders of Andorra, the entrance at Pas de la Casa can only be reached via a bridge that is situated in France. The Andorra/France border post is therefore situated a short distance within France at the start of the access bridge. On the French side it is connected to the RN22 and on the Andorran side to the CGII.^[2]

Plans for a tunnel were developed in Andorra during the late 1950s. In 1963, the Envalira Tunnel design tender was awarded to French engineers Semet and Phillip Studies, and subsequent negotiations were conducted for years and the access roads were improved. In June 1, 1999, Spanish companies FCC and NECSO (today ACCIONA) began construction work on the Grau Roig side of the massif; and in August 2, 1999, work began on the Pas de la Casa side.

Operator & Concession

The Tunnel is operated by Globalvia (a joint venture between Spanish companies Caja Madrid and FCC) as a toll tunnel. The concession period is for 50 years.^[3] The construction cost was 11 Bn Pesetas (approx. 80 Million Euros).^[4]

References