The president highlights the urgency of this work as "the necessary hinge to articulate the backbone communication axes of central Asturias." The president of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón, has today considered the Robleo link connecting the A-66 highways (Y) with the AS-II as "essential" due to its impact on "mobility, traffic distribution, and economic dynamism," urging the central government to expedite its construction. "We ask the Ministry of Transport to expedite it as much as possible because it is the pivot, the necessary hinge to articulate the backbone communication axes of central Asturias."
Barbón recalled that the Principality government leads the Alliance for Infrastructure, involving political parties, unions, business organizations, and other groups in a consensus forum that addresses the community’s main demands. "Let it be clear that the Principality wants all infrastructure on time and in form, but today I must focus on one: the Robleo link." As he emphasized, "thus, with realities and ambition, Asturias wins."
The president, making these statements at the opening of the widening of the AS-17 roadway (Avilés-Riañu) between Bobes and Samiguel in Siero, highlighted that with the infrastructures put in place in the last two years, "we have revolutionized our communication map." He mentioned the Pajares variant, the Langreo railway underground, or the third lane of the Y highway, "and all, without exception, have been completed this legislature," he recalled. "These realities, combined with the airport’s flight offer, the largest in history, allow us to speak with all propriety of hyperconnected Asturias. It is a tangible change, visible to the naked eye," he added.
The Asturias government has today put into service the widening of the AS-17 roadway (Avilés-Riañu) between Bobes and Samiguel in Siero, after an investment of 27 million and two years of work. The president, Adrián Barbón, intervened in the institutional opening ceremony of this section, completing the transversal high-capacity axis connecting the main industrial areas of the community.
The widening of the AS-17 in the area allows for the continuity of a section of highway already open, connecting the Riañu, Bobes, and Asipo industrial estates, and high-capacity roads such as the AS-II, the A-64, or the Y highway.
The completed works ease access to the Bobes business park while also improving connections with other industrial areas, ports, and the rest of Asturias’ high-capacity roads.
The new section will handle the passage of over 10,000 vehicles per day and will help absorb some of the heavy traffic currently circulating on conventional roads in Siero.
The project, carried out by the joint venture formed by Vías y Construcciones S.A. and Desarrollos y Metas S.L., has involved a total investment of 27,038,370 euros, including construction works (19,689,143 euros), expropriation costs (6,709,782 euros), replacement of affected services (209,362 euros), and technical assistance to the project’s management (430,083 euros).
In addition to Mayor Ángel García, the morning’s opening ceremony in Siero was attended by the Mobility, Environment, and Emergency Management Councilors Alejandro Calvo, Science, Industry, and Employment Councilor Borja Sánchez, and the Deputy Minister of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility, Jorge García.
INTERVENTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF ASTURIAS, ADRIÁN BARBÓN
Inauguration of the highway between Bobes and Samiguel
The commissioning of a significant infrastructure is always good news. For me, it also carries a special meaning because with this event, I resume my public activity. A triple alliance of bacteria, antibiotics, and medical advice put my schedule on a strict diet for a week. This event is a good, very good excuse to consider the rest period over.
I return with enthusiasm, truth be told. I was very interested – almost as much as Councilor Alejandro Calvo – in having this highway between Bobes and Samiguel completed. And, though it may sound strange, not because of the amount of investment made by the Principality government, which has exceeded 27 million.
I’ll try to explain in just a few minutes.
This infrastructure is short, with barely two kilometers, but has been in demand for a long time. If we were asked for a quick review of similar cases, it is quite likely that we would think of the Pajares variant, the Langreo railway underground, or the third lane of the Y highway, right next to us. Well, all without exception, have been completed this legislature. In two years, we have revolutionized our communication map.
These realities, combined with the airport’s flight offer, the largest in history, allow us to speak with all propriety of hyperconnected Asturias. It is a tangible change, visible to the naked eye. Other transformations are less tangible, although they may be equally or even more relevant. I am referring to sustainable mobility and to that great success called the CONNECT card, which is approaching 300,000 users.
This reason alone would suffice to justify my effort, but it is not the only one. This week, a Chinese delegation visited Asturias. It was led by the ambassador and included some companies that are world references in their activities, be it transportation or digital technologies. Due to the fortunate rest, I could not accompany them, as I would have wished.
I will not speculate, or raise more expectations. I hold back. As Vice President Gimena Llamedo rightly reminded, we are a serious and discreet government. Investments, what, how much, and where, should be announced by the companies. Nevertheless, it is not lost on anyone the significance of that visit, which proves, better than any statement, that Asturias has become a true land of opportunities.
We must ask ourselves why. Certainly, many causes converge. That radical improvement in communications I mentioned, for example. The geographical location, the abundance of water, the strength of the industrial tradition, the climate refuge condition, the tourist attraction, the budgetary stability, the institutional architecture we have built to attract investments… Everything adds up, of course.
To this list, I add another reason: the logistical potential. When we set out to make Asturias the logistics hub of the Cantabrian, we are not stating a distant dream, a distant longing. Not at all. We are talking about high-speed, about the ports of Avilés and Gijón, about Zalia and an excellent offer of industrial land. Just think of the Bobes industrial estate, which has become a sort of object of desire.
This highway strengthens Asturias’ logistical potential. It facilitates connections between the Silvota, Asipo, Bobes, and Riaño industrial estates in Langreo, and, by extension, with the entire central area. It is a project that meshes, and we all know to what extent that is a key condition to confirm business projects.
My government leads the Alliance for Infrastructure, where political parties, unions, business organizations, and other groups participate. It is a consensus forum that includes the main demands of Asturias. The Principality wants all of them on time and in form, let it be clear. Today, I must focus on one: the Robleo link. We ask the Ministry of Transport to expedite it as much as possible because it is the pivot, the necessary hinge to articulate the backbone communication axes of central Asturias. In terms of mobility, traffic distribution, and economic dynamism, it is essential.
I am delighted to be here, back again. I missed the closeness, the direct contact. Even though I have worked as much as possible from home, I missed the freshness of public events. But if I am happy, I can’t even imagine how happy Mayor Siero must be, who contributes and contributes to his council. And, like a good mayor, he is never satisfied. Cepi, know this: I am not either. Because like this, with realities and ambition, Asturias wins.
