Altea unveils its grand urban renewal plan at Pont de Montcau

Altea's citizens have shown remarkable participation in the meetings convened by the Town Hall of the White Villa to present the pedestrian mobility improvement and infrastructure renewal project at Costera de Pont de Montcau. These gatherings aimed to "offer transparency, resolve doubts, and gather input from residents and shopkeepers affected by the first phase of the works," as highlighted by the Councillor for Infrastructure, Aurora Serrat. The Town Hall seeks to "bring the project closer to the citizens, explain the scope of the action, and demonstrate the measures that will be taken to reduce the impact on the daily lives of Altea's residents," she emphasised.

The intervention at Pont de Montcau is considered one of the most significant undertakings in Altea in recent years, not only due to its scale but also because of the depth of the intervention. The project goes beyond the street's redevelopment, completely renewing hydraulic infrastructures over half a century old, whose deterioration caused leaks and minor sinkholes in the road.

"It is a delicate and necessary work," Serrat stressed, "as the underground networks are completely obsolete, and the current pavement does not offer the accessibility and safety conditions demanded by the citizens."

The Town Hall acknowledges that the start of the works will generate some temporary inconveniences but assures that all possible measures will be taken to minimise the impact on local mobility and commerce. Among them, work will be carried out in sections, alternative routes for vehicles and provisional loading and unloading zones will be enabled, and street closures or direction changes will be announced in advance.

Furthermore, a direct communication line with shopkeepers and residents will be established to address incidents and resolve doubts, in addition to publishing general notices on official channels.

The Costera Pont de Montcau connects Conde Altea Street with the old town's access points, an artery that had not seen a comprehensive intervention for decades. Narrow sidewalks, steps, and curbs hinder pedestrian traffic and have allowed vehicles to monopolise the space.

The new design will reverse this priority, giving prominence to pedestrians by widening sidewalks and unifying the street level where the slope allows. Additionally, the plan includes tree planting, creating shaded areas, and improving drainage, contributing to a greener and more pleasant environment.

The project originated from the 2019 participatory budgets, where citizens prioritised improving accessibility and renewing sidewalks. After the bidding process, the work was awarded to Construcciones Urdecon for an amount of 1,915,853.26 euros and a 12-month execution period.

The intervention covers not only Costera Pont de Montcau but also connections with Plaça del Convent, Filarmónica Street, Avenida Rey Jaime I, La Sèquia Street (north and south sections), Plaça de l'Aigua, and Plaça de la Creu. Additionally, the first sections of Salvà and Alba streets will be addressed, improving urban continuity and reorganising the underground.

With this, Altea will unite its upper part with the lower, from Quatre Cantons to La Creu, in a project that combines sustainability, accessibility, and comprehensive public space renewal.