Torrevieja City Council is set to award the contract to design and oversee the construction of a new safe school route connecting El Acequión and Inmaculada Concepción primary schools.
The Local Government Board will award the €50,820 contract, including VAT, to architect Jesús Madrid. The successful bid is 24.63% below the original tender budget.
The scheme will create an approximately 800-metre urban route used daily by more than 1,000 pupils. It will run along Urbano Arregui, Ciudad de Barcelona, Bilbao, Policarpo and José Hurtado Romero streets, as well as Avenida Diego Ramírez Pastor.
Rather than creating an entirely new route, the project will reorganise and improve the existing road network to give pedestrians greater priority. Planned measures include wider pavements, safer road crossings, the removal of architectural barriers and the creation of a continuous strip of vegetation separating pedestrians from traffic.
The green buffer is intended to improve safety while also providing greater protection from the heat. It will help organise the placement of street furniture and make the route more comfortable during Torrevieja’s hottest months.
The pathway will also be given its own recognisable identity, making it easier for pupils and families to follow the route between the two schools.
The project is based on five principal objectives: improving road safety, providing universal accessibility, encouraging shared use by different groups, promoting active travel and incorporating more green infrastructure.
The council said the route would not be limited to schoolchildren. It is being designed for use by families, elderly residents and people with reduced mobility, creating a safer and more accessible corridor for the wider community.
It will also connect with the pedestrian and cycle path running from La Veleta through the San Roque and Acequión neighbourhoods. This will provide a continuous network for walking and cycling across this area of Torrevieja and offer an alternative to travelling by car.
The contract is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. It forms part of Torrevieja’s Integrated Action Plan and its Local Integrated Development Strategy under the 2021–2027 European funding programme.
The scheme is classified as a social inclusion project because it aims to strengthen social and territorial links while improving access between two educational centres. The design must comply with European accessibility, environmental protection and equal-treatment requirements.
Once the technical project has been completed, the council will be able to move forward with the construction phase.
