Orihuela City Council has completed repair and improvement works on Calle Barranco de Arneva, restoring the promenade for residents following structural damage and a further collapse last May.
The Infrastructure Department carried out work on two separate sections. One formed part of a planned project to repair damage associated with the severe DANA flooding of 2019, while the other addressed the more recent collapse.
Orihuela mayor Pepe Vegara visited the completed project on Monday alongside Infrastructure and Maintenance councillor Víctor Valverde and Arneva’s local representative, José García Haros.
The ravine is channelled and covered along this section, creating a promenade above it that is regularly used by residents. After the latest collapse, municipal technicians inspected the site to assess the damage and identify its possible causes.
According to Valverde, the former covering system, constructed using beams and hollow blocks, had developed several structural problems. These may have been worsened by the large volumes of water carried through the ravine during the 2019 storms. The channel collects and drains water from the Sierra de Hurchillo and runs close to nearby homes.
The roots of the ficus trees previously planted along the promenade are also believed to have contributed to the deterioration over time.
“The ravine carries a considerable amount of water during torrential rainfall and runs alongside residential properties,” Valverde said. “It was therefore essential to act quickly, protect residents and ensure the drainage channel continued to operate correctly.”
The damaged covering has been replaced with hollow-core concrete slabs, reducing the load on the structure while improving its strength and durability. The surface of the promenade has also been repaired and upgraded.
Responding to requests from residents, the council has planted 12 mulberry trees. They were selected as a more suitable species for the location and are intended to prevent the type of root damage caused by the former ficus trees.
Additional benches have also been installed along the street. Valverde said residents had asked for the promenade to retain its trees and provide more seating because it serves as an important meeting place, particularly for older people.
García Haros welcomed the speed of the council’s response following the collapse and praised the improvements to the promenade.
Vegara said the project demonstrated how quickly the authority should react to urgent structural problems.
“The response was almost immediate, and work began very shortly after the collapse,” he said. “We now have a promenade that has not only been repaired but improved.”
The mayor also reaffirmed the council’s commitment to Orihuela’s outlying districts, acknowledging the challenges of managing a municipality encompassing numerous villages, the coastal area and the city centre.
Further improvements are being considered for Arneva, including a project to install a lift providing better access to the area around the church. The scheme has been requested by residents and would particularly benefit older people and those with reduced mobility.
