Thumbs up for Quesada refit
The project has been signed over to the town hall
THE LONG-awaited improvements to Avenida de las Naciones in Ciudad Quesada (Rojales) have been completed with a €500,000 investment from the provincial government and the town hall.
“We’re thrilled with the new image and all sorts of improved infrastructures in one of the municipality’s principal areas for tourism, hospitality and shopping,” said councillor for works and services Jesús Martínez.
The high street, from the arches at Los Arcos to the Plaza Blanca, was inspected on Friday by representatives of the local and provincial authorities and the concessionary company.
They gave their approval that everything was satisfactory and responsibility for its maintenance and usage was signed over to the town hall.
The work started at the beginning of the year, but was delayed for approximately a month due to the state of emergency over the Covid-19 pandemic.
It essentially consisted of improving the design of the road, making accessibility adaptations for people with reduced mobility, creating an underground storm drain system, laying various utility connections underground, resurfacing, widening pavements, installing a roundabout at the junction with Calle Blanca, adding benches, replacing street lighting and reorganising the parking spaces.
Councillor for commerce Miriam Trives said that now the work has finished and this important artery for business has reopened, ‘this is the ideal moment to get to know it, go for a walk there and visit its shops and restaurants’.
The HELP Vega Baja association welfare officer, Wendy Burton was concerned about lack of width in certain sections for wheelchair access and people with double buggies.
She emailed the town hall quoting the disability act and said they assured her that the benches outside Bar Don Carlos will be removed so there is a 1.5 metre gap, plus bars also have to move some of their tables to allow wheelchairs in.
Another resident pointed out that the new benches are too close to the kerb all the way down the avenue towards the garage, to the extent that the doors of cars parked directly next to them cannot be opened.
A town hall spokesman told Costa Blanca News that the benches will be adjusted or removed to ensure accessibility, and if necessary so will establishments’ tables and chairs.
Although the existing arrangement is as designed in the project, now that the town hall has signed off the job it can and will resolve the problem quickly, he said.