The highly complex project estimates a reduction of 4,300 tons of CO2 emitted and up to 700,000 hours per year in traffic. 

The recently inaugurated Coll de l’Illa Tunnel has connectivity guaranteed by Furukawa solutions. The 1,467-metre-long railway connecting Valls (Alt Camp) and Montblanc (Conca de Barberà), in the province of Tarragona, Spain, received optical cables from Furukawa Electric, a Japanese multinational that operates in the connectivity sector.  

The A-27 motorway that connects the tunnel, a work of great complexity, is five kilometers long under the Miramar mountain range, and aims to reduce the connection time between the provinces of Tarragona, on the east coast, and Lleida, located in the interior of Catalonia, to about 15 minutes. 

The public works were carried out by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda and facilitate access to the port of Tarragona, one of the largest in Spain. The tunnel connectivity was made with Furukawa’s 8-, 16- and 32-fiber CFOA-SM-ARD-S 8-, 16- and 32-fiber G-652D LSZH optical cables, providing more safety by not emitting toxic smoke in the event of a fire and greater reliability and speed through the optical fiber. 

A safer, more sustainable and efficient connection. 

 A decrease in road time of more than 700,000 hours per year is expected with the new route, as the average travel time is expected to be reduced by 10 minutes, avoiding the winding “Coll de Lilla” and directing traffic through a wide, modern and safe tunnel. This will lead to an improvement in the efficiency of energy consumption, which translates into a reduction of 4,300 tonnes of CO2 per year and therefore an increase in the sustainability of road transport.  

In commercial terms, it will improve communication between important industrial areas in the interior, Lleida and Aragon, with the port of Tarragona, positively influencing the competitiveness of the port and, in consequently, the economic and social development of the area. 

Technical features  

The tunnel has modern operational and security facilities, supported by Furukawa cables, among which we can highlight: 

• Fire protection: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) cables slow down the spread of flames, unlike a normal polyethylene cable jacket, in addition, the tunnels and their entrances are equipped with a mesh network of hydrants separated by a maximum of 100 m. 
• From a new control center at the south entrance, the tunnel’s security facilities will be monitored automatically and constantly. 
• A fixed HD camera system was installed for automatic incident detection (IAD). 
• Dual power supply. 
• Illumination by LED floodlights. At the entrance and exit openings, an automatic control of the lighting is carried out according to the readings of the 2 luminance meters placed per entrance. 
• A separator system in the drainage network to collect seepage water independently of water from road discharges. 

About Furukawa:   

Furukawa Electric is a communication infrastructure solutions industry with a vast portfolio that serves various markets, such as data centers, industries, offices, carriers, and governmental services, among others, at all levels of applications.  

Its Furukawa Solutions brand is the result of the union of several development, production and support centers distributed around the world, counting on the Solidity of the Furukawa Electric group, which has been operating for more than 135 years globally, offering world-class solutions with local support and services. With a strong commitment to society, it provides infrastructure for life.