Torrevieja N-332 Widening Plan Faces Further Setback

Hopes for widening of the N-332 as it passes through Torrevieja have met the latest in a decade-long list of problems, this time because the project plan has been rejected by the Ministry of Public Works as it contains thirteen major deficiencies, and was submitted late.

Much of the N-332 was widened as part of a major road redevelopment plan, but the eight-kilometre stretch through Torrevieja was left without any significant changes to the road, where traffic far exceeds the capacity, especially during touristic seasons such as Easter and summer, where traffic is normally brought to a standstill, and incidents are a plenty, some with fatal consequences.

At the time, many politicians blames the ruling local PP for their lack of action in submitting the plans, a subject which then became a political battle point for the last ten years, without any actual action taking place to resolve it.

The regional government are responsible for submitting the project to central government, who will be footing the bill, on behalf of the municipality, which, in August of 2006 when this should have been done, were all run by the Partido Popular. Now, after a decade of political blame, the PP run central government have rejected the plan submitted by the socialist-led regional government on behalf of the coalition-run municipality.

The Mayor of Torrevieja, José Manuel Dolón, has presented the problems to the press and explained how he has called for an urgent meeting with all levels of government involved, so that the problem can be resolved once and for all.

On this occasion, the eight-month-late project plan contains thirteen deficiencies, including “the lack of concretion of the land expropriated to carry out the works” and even the fact that the “necessary land is insufficient to execute it”.

The latest plan would see the road widened to just “a few metres from houses” in some places, which would cause “problems of acoustic impact”. Other locations are lacking any kind of adequate drainage and flood defence.

The government has set aside funds for the work, to the tune of a million euro per year, but still, without the correct project plan being in place, drivers will still face the same problems, albeit of an increasing magnitude, until the action can finally be resolved.