ALICANTE – Users are generally happy with the new cycle path on Avenida de Alicante. Although people had been able to cycle on it for weeks, the cycle path was officially opened last Tuesday.
The 1.5-kilometre trail connects downtown to Altabix. However, it has garnered praise from users as well as criticism from other road users. That criticism related to the traffic jams that arose during rush hours during these first days. A lane had been removed in the middle of the avenue. The speed limit in the remaining lanes had also been reduced from 50 to 30 kilometres per hour.
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The Alderman for Mobility, Esther Díez, assured, supported by the Altabix district and the local business association, that this cycling infrastructure “guarantees the freedom of the men and women of Elche to choose their mode of transport. Previously, only drivers of motor vehicles.
“Total disaster”
Shortly before that, the conservative people’s party PP described the new cycle path and the underlying mobility policy as a “total disaster”. Because it “ignored police reports and the impact on traffic”.
Convinced of success
Despite this rejection of the transformation of Avenida de Alicante, the Department of Mobility, in the hands of Compromís, is convinced that the cycle ring will be a success. A total of ten kilometres of cycle paths will be built during this mandate. This will allow the city to approach other benchmark cities in terms of “environmental quality and friendly urban environments”.
The number of motor vehicles must be reduced
The councillor argued that outside rush hours, which coincide with the start or end of schools or office hours, traffic in these major Alicante arteries continues to run smoothly. In addition, according to Díez, the municipal objective is to further reduce the number of vehicles driving through this area.
More safety for cyclists is the objective
The works on the new cycle path, with a cost of €358,000, started in June of this year and were completed within the set deadlines. The cycle path is between 2.5 and 3 metres wide, is separated from motor vehicles and is located in the middle of the road to improve the safety of cyclists.
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