Urban planning and infrastructures. The goal is to turn it into a greener and more sustainable avenue for citizens.
The revamp got under way during the last term of office, with work carried out in the first section between Pl. Glòries and C/ Mallorca. The section currently in progress runs from C/ Mallorca to C/ Josep estivill, in the Navas neighbourhood, and is due to be completed in May. At the same time, the next steps are being taken in the process to extend the project as far as C/ Felip II as from autumn this year.
All this work covers 1.7 kilometres of the avenue and means that 94,000 square metres of surface space will have been renewed, gaining 560 trees and 10,000 square metres of parterres and greenery in the process. The overall investment is 28.4 million euros, 6 million of which comes from the EU’s Next Generation funds.
The transformation also involves eliminating a traffic lane in each direction, as well as the bike lanes currently located on the pavements. The new Meridiana will have two general traffic lanes in each direction and one for buses and taxis. The central reservation will be 9.5 metres wide and include a segregated two-way bike lane, 4.3 metres wide, plus a parterre on each side with a row of large trees and lighting. In addition, the junctions with the streets of Nació, Trinxant (side nearest the sea), Múrcia and Palència will have curbless paving and priority for pedestrians. New pedestrian crossings are also being created to improve connections across the avenue.
New central Rambla in Navas
The intersecting roads here are the points with the greatest density of pedestrians and cyclists. They also have great potential for connectivity between neighbourhoods. One has been identified in Plaça de Ferran Reyes and the Jardins de Maria Soteras. At this point the central section will be broadened to create a wide space for people to walk in, connect with other areas and cross from one side of the avenue to the other.
Once work reaches C/ Felip II, the next stage will get under way as far as C/ Fabra i Puig and the draft project started for the next section of Av. Meridiana, from Fabra i Puig to Pont de Sarajevo. A participatory process will be held to gather proposals and input from local people and organisations.
