The much-anticipated pedestrian and cycle bridge over the AP-7 motorway in Lomas de Cabo Roig—a long-standing demand from residents—stays stalled regardless of being touted as considered one of Orihuela Costa’s flagship infrastructure tasks.
Nearly six months have now handed for the reason that tender for drafting the challenge was launched, but no contractor has been formally awarded the work. City officers say the adjudication will occur “quickly.”
The challenge was one of many cornerstone guarantees of Orihuela’s mayor, Pepe Vegara, throughout his election marketing campaign, and was introduced as one of many first main investments within the municipality’s 2024 finances.
What Comes Next
Once a contractor is chosen, the agency may have 4 months to provide and ship the ultimate challenge plans, until it gives a shorter timeline. After that, the proposal should be reviewed and authorised by Alicante’s Highways Department (a part of Spain’s Ministry of Transport), which may submit objections.
Only after approval can development be put out to tender. Given the challenge’s estimated price of over €1.3 million, awarding the contract for the works may take between 9 months and a 12 months. If all the things proceeds with out additional delays, work may not start till late 2026 or early 2027. The development itself is predicted to take round 5 months, although the ultimate schedule will solely be clear as soon as the tender is printed.
Local residents’ affiliation Unidos por la Costa has warned that the bridge dangers not being accomplished earlier than the subsequent municipal elections. Under Spanish electoral legislation, public works can’t be inaugurated throughout marketing campaign season, which may push the challenge even additional again.
Why the Bridge Matters
The bridge will join Calle Creus and the San Miguel street, offering a protected crossing for pedestrians and cyclists over the AP-7. At current, the one hyperlink between residential developments equivalent to Lomas de Cabo Roig, La Cuerda, and Lomas de Golf with the seashores, well being heart, pharmacy, and native retailers is a slim bridge designed for automobiles.
The current bridge has only one lane in every course and no pavement. Pedestrians are pressured to stroll alongside a skinny roadside strip barely 40 centimetres broad, a lot of which is overgrown by vegetation and weeds and which is placing their security at fixed threat. Neither is there any lighting for the world making it much more harmful to pedestrians.
The new design foresees a mixed-use pedestrian and cycle path:
- At least 1.8 meters broad for pedestrians
- 2.5 meters broad for a two-way biking lane
- LED avenue lighting designed particularly for pedestrian and bike owner use
- An architectural design per the encompassing city atmosphere
A 20-Year Wait
Plans for a pedestrian hyperlink date again greater than 20 years. When the Lomas de Cabo Roig sector was developed in 2004, the city developer deposited a monetary assure with Bancaja (now Bankia) to cowl public works, together with the promised bridge. While different components of the event have been accomplished, the pedestrian bridge was by no means constructed.
The Orihuela City Council has not renounced the assure, which stays tied up in ongoing authorized proceedings.
For now, residents proceed to attend—and stroll dangerously alongside the slim roadside—whereas the promised “precedence challenge” inches ahead at a bureaucratic snail’s tempo.
