The difference in level at one point of the railway bridge caused EFE to suspend the train service between Concepción and San Pedro de la Paz. Given this, there will be 16 buses that will transport passengers between both communes.
The company EFE activated a contingency plan for this Monday as a result of the indefinite suspension of use of Railway bridge that connects Concepción with San Pedro de la Paz over the Bío Bío river, in the Bio bio region.
Let us remember that last Friday a failure was detected in the road that would have been caused by a tree hitting one of the pillars below the level of the river and that would have originated as a result of a current.
Ongoing studies will determine the works that will be necessary within the framework of the repair and the final time they will take. So things, the viaduct will remain inoperative until the execution of these works.
To face the contingency, A free complementary bus service will be enabled for Biotren users on the round trip between Juan Pablo II Station and Concepción Stationwhich will make it possible to cover the route that cannot be approached by the railway bridge.
???? On Monday we will have approach buses from Est. Concepción to Est. Juan Pablo II and vice versa. pic.twitter.com/7PQa477cwn
— Biotren (@EFE_Biotren) December 11, 2022
There will be 16 buses that will be synchronized with the train operations which will continue to operate between the Coronel and Juan Pablo II stations.
Meanwhile, the Line 1 operations (Talcahuano – Hualqui) and the Short Laja serviceare not affected by this contingency and it was reported that these buses are additional to those that provide intermodal service.
EFE also coordinated the reinforcement of the Carabineros, to expedite the transit of these buses, to which is added the coordination so that the Carabineros can expedite the transit on Route 160. At the same time, drone overflights will be carried out to monitor the transfer of the people.
Additionally, information measures began to be adopted for users through Biotren’s social networks; flyering; messages in stations and on trains; the qualification of monitors in the stations where the transfers will take place, to facilitate and give continuity to the services.
Delegate called on motorists to prefer alternative routes
in conversation with Radiothe presidential delegate of Bío Bío, Daniela Dresdencalled motorists to prefer the Juan Pablo II and Bicentennial bridgesto allow a more expeditious passage to the Biotren buses through the Llacolén Bridge.
“Also for the people who come from Coronel and Lota, there are alternative roads such as the Patagual route. And it can also serve them so as not to generate more congestion in that same place -Juan Pablo II station-,” said the authority.
The Regional Presidential Delegate explained that as a result of this contingency, greater congestion might be generated, for the same reason, she appealed to the understanding of the citizenry.
Regarding the specific reason for what happened with the railway, delegate Dresdner said that “we still do not have the specific cause. This week EFE should have that answer, in order to have, precisely, how much time we are talking regarding in the repair, ”she closed.
#ONEMIBiobio Regional COGRID was carried out to coordinate mitigation measures due to interruption of rail service. pic.twitter.com/X06jEoUIKh
— onemichile (@onemichile) December 12, 2022
