Provincial Council considers pedestrian crossing on Portitxol road
Alicante announces a project for action in the area to “improve accessibility” with a budget of 900,000 euros.
One of the already urbanized sections of the Portitxol road, at the bottom of the Tosalet roundabout.
Tuesday 18th May 2021 – CARLOS LÓPEZ with Mike Smith
Provincial councillor for Roads, Alejandro Morant, visited Xàbia this Monday to accompany local Populares representative Rosa Cardona to inspect the latest road improvement works carried out by the Provincial Councillor on the last stretch of Carretera del Portitxol towards Cabo de la Nao as well as learn more about resident demands for the improvements for pedestrians.
Morant explained that provinicial technicians have reported that “on a road like this, vehicles have priority” but still promised to look at the possibility of the installation of pedestrian crossings on the road between the Consum roundabout and the Toscamar residential area, a stretch that he has acknowledged “has become an urban street”.
Some 11,400 vehicles pass every day along this stretch of the Carretera del Portitxol and the Provicial Council has drawn up details for a proposal which aims to improve the accessibility for pedestrians along sections with residential areas. The study will look at the creation of an area reserved for a pavement / cycle lane which will be separated from the current road. However, there is a downside in that Xàbia Council will have to make a series of compulsory purchases. The estimated cost would be some 950,000 euros, of which the Provincial Council would provide just over 600,000 euros.
The provincial councillor explained that the study “is in the hands of the town council” and noted that municipal technicians “will have to review it” in such a way that once the technical phase has been completed and the two administration agree, the politics will take it further, adding that this shouldn’t be a problem.
He also claimed that his department “has not received any request from the town council” in relation to projects on the Portitxol road, adding that he was committed to such a project “to try and improve pedestrian access” on a temporary basis whilst the project progress, either by installing new pedestrian crossings or a new elevated section.
He acknowledged that the project has about 12-18 months to be put into motion but stressed that it is the commitment of the Provincial Council to “take it forward”.
A transitional solution would be what the residents are asking for and what the representative for the C’s Enrique Escrivá has demanded in a motion presented to the plenary session which could not be debated due to it being held online.
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