Bilbao has taken the first step towards the regeneration of Punta Zorroza with the imminent tender of an engineering contract to study the future of the railway line crossing the neighborhood. Mayor and president of Bilbao Ría 2000, Juan Mari Aburto, celebrated this initiative, considered key for the urban development of the Biscay capital.
This action is strategic for the city, as the old port area of Zorroza has a large plot of land, representing one of the few expansion opportunities for a growing city. These plots, separated from the neighborhood's core by the railway (C-1 Cercanías line), offer approximately 320,000 square meters, an area comparable to half of the Zorrozaurre island.
Bilbao Ría 2000 and the central government will analyze the best alternative to overcome this 'trench' dividing Zorroza and seek its integration with new urban uses. A daily mobility of around 10,000 people is projected once the project is completed. The contract, to be tendered soon, will define how to prevent the tracks from being an obstacle, considering options like tunneling or covering.
The project will have a budget of 420,000 euros and a maximum execution period of 12 months. The study will assess technical and economic feasibility, as well as social and environmental profitability. It will also analyze the planned loads and uses of the plots, essential data for calculating the initiative's final budget.
The agreement was formalized by Mayor Aburto and the Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano. Both acknowledged the plan's complexity and the lack of concrete deadlines. The mayor explained that the railway and urban integration processes will proceed in parallel, a novel model that, according to Fran Viñez, general director of Bilbao Ría 2000, speeds up work and shortens deadlines, similar to what is being used in Olabeaga.
The roadmap for Punta Zorroza establishes that the railway integration analysis will be the preliminary step before commissioning the Informative Study. The City Council will also proceed with the necessary urban planning modifications, which could be initially approved in December. The entire process is expected to conclude in about two years, leading to land redistribution and urbanization. The mayor emphasized the importance of this firm first step to kick off the project.
Secretary of State for Transport Santano highlighted the pact's significance, stating that they do not envision a railway integration process that does not improve the urban environment and people's lives. He added that while railways divided spaces in the past, today they serve to unite realities and provide opportunities.
Bilbao Ría 2000 has been leading the development of Punta Zorroza for a year, following an agreement between the City Council and the central government to promote this regeneration project. The aim is to recover the institutional consensus that enabled the transformation of Abandoibarra.
By entrusting Bilbao Ría 2000, the City Council cedes leadership but secures support and funding. Mayor Aburto had previously stated that this step represented a consensus to advance economic development and improve residents' quality of life.
Regarding the financing of the most costly part – the railway modification – the institutional approach remains the same: the necessary investment will be valued and borne by all landowners in Punta Zorroza as a development charge.
