The project to replace Tolosa's Puente Nuevo bridge, spanning the Oria River, is in its final stages. Ines Ingenieros Constructores will be responsible for drafting the project, which is expected to be completed this month. Subsequently, the construction work will be put out to tender by the Basque Water Agency (URA) and the Tolosa City Council.
The new bridge will be modern and pillar-less, connecting both sides of the river. The exact demolition date for the current bridge is still unknown but remains within the project's planned timelines. Ines Ingenieros Constructores, a Madrid-based firm selected through a public tender and popular vote involving URA and the Tolosa City Council, is finalizing the project's drafting, having been allocated six months since March.
According to information provided by URA itself, the established timeline is being met. It is still too early to determine when the work on the river and both its banks will commence, as well as the impact on the daily mobility of Tolosa residents and those in the surrounding areas. Following the presentation of the bridge replacement project, URA will initiate the tender process for the construction, after which the demolition and replacement of the current bridge will take place.
The Tolosa City Council is maintaining contact with URA to stay updated on the project's developments. The initial phases are of significant interest to the council due to their impact on both pedestrian and vehicular movement. The council has informed the public about the modifications and their importance in preventing floods, and has also participated in selecting the most suitable bridge design.
Tolosa faces a high risk of flooding, and in response, URA has promoted this project. The primary measure is the replacement of the Puente Nuevo. The initial steps date back to 2021, with the tender for the flood defense project of the Oria River.
The river's current hydraulic capacity is "insufficient" as it passes through Tolosa, and "constrictions and bridge-like structures" hinder proper drainage. Therefore, the decision has been made to replace the bridge with a single-span structure without pillars. The project presented in 2023 did not satisfy the residents, leading URA to seek a new alternative. Ultimately, Ines Ingenieros Constructores's option won the competition with 96 out of 100 points.
The current Puente Nuevo was inaugurated on February 12, 1926. It was designed by municipal architect Guillermo Eizaguirre, with technical details from engineer Juan Antonio Garmendia, as part of an urban reform project. It improved connectivity to the train station, avoiding an inconvenient and dangerous route. The existing bridge measures 51.8 meters in length and has four spans.
