The Local Governing Board will award tomorrow the contract for drafting the project and directing the construction of safe school routes for the Acequión and Inmaculada schools.

The Local Governing Board of Torrevieja City Council will award the contract tomorrow to architect Jesús Madrid for €50,820 (VAT included) for drafting the project and supervising the construction of safe routes to school for the Acequión and Inmaculada primary schools. The contract represents a 24.63% reduction from the initial tender budget.

This contract, co-financed by the European Union through ERDF funds, falls within the framework of the Torrevieja Integrated Action Plan (PAI), under the Local Integrated Development Strategy (EDIL). Its award will allow for the technical definition of the works to be carried out to improve safety, accessibility, and the conditions of daily commutes between the two schools.

The winning proposal envisions this project as more than just a school route: a safe, accessible urban corridor adapted to the weather conditions, connecting schools with their surroundings and usable by both the educational community and the general public.

AN 800-METER PATH USED BY MORE THAN A THOUSAND SCHOOLCHILDREN

The project area is located entirely within the established urban center of Torrevieja and connects the El Acequión and Inmaculada Concepción primary schools via a route approximately 800 meters long, used daily by over a thousand schoolchildren. The route runs along Urbano Arregui, Ciudad de Barcelona, Bilbao, Policarpo, and José Hurtado Romero streets, as well as Diego Ramírez Pastor Avenue.

Furthermore, this project connects with the pedestrian and cycle path from La Veleta that runs through the San Roque and Acequión neighborhoods, also funded under the PAI (Integrated Action Plan). This connection will allow for the continuity of routes for pedestrians and cyclists in this area of the city.

WIDER SIDEWALKS, SAFER CROSSINGS, AND VEGETATION PROTECTION

The proposal involves a comprehensive intervention on the existing public space, aimed at improving road safety, universal accessibility, climate comfort and the urban quality of the route.

The project does not propose a new route, but rather a reorganization of the existing road network to give greater priority to pedestrians. To this end, it includes widening sidewalks, improving crossings, and adding a green buffer zone along the roadway. This continuous green space will contribute to improved climate comfort, protect pedestrians from traffic, and facilitate the placement of street furniture.

Furthermore, the route will have its own identity to facilitate its recognition and daily use, helping schoolchildren and families to identify the path that connects both schools.

ROAD SAFETY, UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY AND ACTIVE MOBILITY

The winning proposal is structured around five fundamental criteria. The first is road safety, through prioritizing pedestrian movement and reducing conflict points with vehicular traffic.

The second is universal accessibility, guaranteeing the continuity of the route and the elimination of architectural barriers so that it can be used by all people.

These objectives are complemented by the coexistence of different user profiles, with a comfortable route for schoolchildren, families, the elderly and people with reduced mobility.

The project also promotes active mobility, encouraging walking as a safe and healthy alternative to private vehicles, and incorporates green infrastructure as an element of protection, environmental improvement and organization of public space.

A EUROPEAN ACTION TO IMPROVE SOCIAL AND TERRITORIAL COHESION

The operation is part of the PAI and the EDIL of Torrevieja, approved in the context of the Multiregional Operational Programme of Spain (POPE) FEDER 2021-2027.N The project contributes to Political Objective 5: "A Europe closer to its citizens", aimed at promoting integrated and participatory development that improves the quality of life and social cohesion in the territory.

According to the Criteria and Procedures for the Selection of Operations (CPSO), the action is classified within Action Type TA3: Social Inclusion, by promoting social and territorial cohesion through the construction of a safe school route connecting the two educational centers.

Specifically, the contract is integrated into the operation [P4.O9] / Safe School Route: El Acequión and Inmaculada, with compliance with accessibility standards and environmental and equal treatment safeguards required by European regulations.