Alicante reopens Town Hall Square to traffic

Town Hall Square in Alicante has returned to normal this Thursday after being closed to traffic for several months. The busy road had been blocked since October 24 when a piece of the overhang from one of the towers fell and shattered on the pavement.

Initially, for safety reasons, traffic was halted and a wide perimeter was marked around the facade to prevent any danger.

In the following days, a comprehensive inspection of the facade was conducted, and urgent measures were taken to secure the balustrades of both towers by installing a protection system. This was a preliminary step before a future phase, yet to be scheduled, in which the facade and the historic Town Hall building will undergo rehabilitation.

After the necessary repairs, the square reopened just before New Year, with the barriers removed. However, due to the festivities, it remained closed to traffic. This intervention on the municipal palace's exterior coincided with the Christmas celebrations, where the installation of the Giant Nativity Scene in the square was not hindered. Residents and visitors could enjoy this Guinness World Record Christmas display once the protective barriers were removed from in front of the building during the securing work.

On January 16, around 3 p.m., workers removed the floral elements blocking vehicle access, and after cleaning the road, normalcy returned. With the removal of the road closure elements, traffic is restored on this artery, facilitating access for public transport buses and private vehicles to the Rambla and adjacent streets.

From this Friday, the usual routes of the urban bus lines (2, 12, 21, and 22) and the Turibús, coming from Puerta del Mar Square, will resume passing through the square and Rafael Altamira Street towards the Rambla.

Town Hall Square in Alicante will become pedestrian-only next year, once the works that will begin at the end of 2025 are completed, extending from the Town Hall's entrance to the Provincial Court to create a large area. This was announced by Deputy Mayor Manuel Villar after the Local Government Board's press conference last Tuesday. "The decision is made," stated the municipal spokesperson.

The municipal intention is to close to traffic only the section that includes the Town Hall facade. Therefore, it will be possible to drive along part of Altamira Street (accessible from San Fernando) towards the Rambla de Méndez Núñez. Also, along Jorge Juan Street, which can be reached from Juan Bautista Lafora via San Telmo Street, towards Paseíto Ramiro.