Calpe Town Council plans to modify the cycle lane that runs along Avenida de los Ejércitos Españoles, between La Niña and Letonia streets. The aim is to redistribute the space used by pedestrians and cyclists in order to improve safety for both users.
Currently, this section has a combined pavement and cycle lane, i.e. the cycle lane runs along the pavement without a kerb and is located at the innermost part of the pavement. Next to the cycle lane towards the road there is a one-metre-wide pavement and finally a garden area. The aim of these works is to move the pedestrian pavement to this innermost end in order to facilitate access for pedestrians to the shops located in the area, while avoiding the need for people to cross the cycle route.
The pedestrian pavement will also be wider, increasing from one to three metres in width, and will be separated from the cycle lane by a landscaped area of more than one metre - where street furniture and trees will be located - thus making the route safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The cycle lane, in turn, will be separated from the line of on-street parking that exists along this entire stretch by a space almost one metre wide.
In addition to the renovation of street furniture and tree planting, the works will also include the installation of special paving for the cycle lane, more suitable and resistant for this use.
This project is included in the Plan for Sustainable Tourism in Destinations (PSTD) which has the support of the Regional Ministry of Tourism of the Valencian Community - Turisme Comunitat Valenciana - and the Secretary of State for Tourism within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) financed by the European Union - Next Generation.
The project, which has a base amount of €449,682.13, has already been put out to tender and is currently in the evaluation phase pending award. It is estimated to take four months to complete.
‘With this initiative we not only aim to create a safer route for citizens, but also to facilitate their mobility and accessibility along one of the main thoroughfares in Calpe,’ said the Councillor for Infrastructure, Juan Manuel del Pino, who added that this project is part of the Calpe council's commitment to promoting the use of bicycles and pedestrian routes.