The Orihuela City Council has begun installing a brand-new traffic light system across the municipality after awarding a contract worth almost €300,000 to fully modernise the network.
Mayor Pepe Vegara and Citizen Safety councillor Mónica Pastor inspected the first pilot installation, which will be tested before the rollout is extended town-wide. Vegara said the trial will confirm the system works on the ground before full deployment, calling the upgrade “long overdue and finally a reality”.
The overhaul replaces outdated equipment with next-generation LED technology, improving visibility while cutting energy consumption. The new network also introduces remote management, allowing real-time monitoring, instant fault detection and traffic cycles that can be adjusted to conditions, ending long delays caused by breakdowns.
Pastor said Orihuela is leaving behind a “last-century network” plagued by failures, with the upgrade delivering a major boost in road safety, accessibility and efficiency. The project includes new controllers, electronics, underground cabling, software and control hardware, plus structural improvements to fix water damage issues during heavy rain. Existing poles in good condition will be refurbished and repainted to keep a uniform look.
The system will also add acoustic signals to help visually impaired pedestrians, reinforcing universal accessibility. In Orihuela Costa, autonomous LED warning signs will be installed at pedestrian crossings and on main roads to reinforce speed limits, targeting safer streets in high-footfall tourist areas.
