Islantilla is finalizing the construction of a new accessible sidewalk that will connect the northern and southern areas of the town, with an investment of €498,521.60 financed by NextGenerationEU funds.

It is part of the 'Between Green and Blue' Tourism Sustainability Plan, which has allocated 2,589,440 euros to actions carried out through the Commonwealth.

Residents and visitors to the Islantilla tourist destination will be able to enjoy two new accessible pedestrian walkways starting this summer, connecting the upper and lower parts of the town. These two key routes will advance a sustainable mobility model and are part of the 'Between Green and Blue' Tourism Sustainability Plan, an initiative funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU Funds. This plan represents a total investment of €2,589,440 for the implementation of various projects through the Commonwealth jointly managed by the municipalities of Isla Cristina and Lepe.

Specifically, the implementation of both axes has involved an investment of 498,521.60 euros and will respond to the new mobility needs of a destination that is constantly adapting to its citizens, allowing for safer and more comfortable connectivity, with the ultimate goal of reducing the use of motor vehicles and, at the same time, encouraging physical activity.

To learn more about the final touches on this project, the Executive Vice President of the Islantilla Association of Municipalities and First Deputy Mayor of Isla Cristina, Francisco Zamudio, had the opportunity to visit the last phase of the work on behalf of the association and accompanied by representatives of the company in charge of its execution, TR CONSTRUYA, SLU.

Zamudio has defined this action as “a clear response to the demand of many residents in Islantilla, who asked to evolve the original urban planning model of residential areas integrated into nature and the golf course towards spaces more adapted to pedestrian traffic, and as times advance, the Commonwealth advances, and we already took the first step with a pilot experience that we assumed with our own funds, which we now expand with this important investment financed by the European Union.

Emilio Álvarez, director of contracting at TR CONSTRUYA, has announced the imminent delivery of this project, "which is practically finished and is already being used by many residents of the area, so the success of the project is confirmed even before its official inauguration.".

For her part, the Deputy Mayor of Lepe, Mariana Otero, delegated to the Commonwealth, who was unable to participate in the visit due to scheduling conflicts, emphasized “the commitment that both City Councils and the Commonwealth are making to the interconnectivity of the centers within our municipal boundaries, as demonstrated by the multimodal lane we have created between Lepe and La Antilla, which has a continuous flow of pedestrians and cyclists, or the cycling route from La Antilla to El Terrón, which has received Blue Trail recognition successively since its creation.”.

The construction of these new accessible sidewalks has remodeled two of the main roads connecting the upper and lower parts of Islantilla, specifically the Paseo del Golf, from the 'La Hacienda' Shopping Centre to Plaza Manuel Camacho, and the Paseo del Barranco del Moro in its continuation with the Paseo de la Vera to the roundabout of the Congress Palace, so that the Golf Club is now also connected to the beach, serving two of the main areas of visitor traffic.

The project involved work on the trees, the public lighting network and the water supply, taking the opportunity to improve both and to incorporate street furniture, which has allowed the creation of rest areas for pedestrians.

The construction of these two accessible sidewalk axes represents a synergy with other actions included in the Sustainability Plan, such as the climate adaptation of Islantilla, the creation of the transversal bike lane between Urbasur and La Antilla, the future electric vehicle service, the installation of parking areas with charging for electric scooters and bicycles, as well as the project to revitalize and promote nautical activities and blue tourism.

The Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destination 'Between Green and Blue', integrated into the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, is financed by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU Funds, and has allowed an investment channeled through the Ministry of Industry and Tourism of the Government of Spain, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía.