The Ministry of Transport has closed the Ronda Est bridge in Picanya from this Tuesday until July 3rd, the only operational passage for vehicle traffic over the Poyo ravine following the DANA event of October 29, 2024. The municipality will remain without any direct connection between the two banks of the riverbed for eleven days, a situation that has drawn criticism from both the local government team, formed by the PSPV, and Compromís, who decry the "lack of coordination and information" from the state agency.
The Ronda Est bridge was the only one that withstood the force of the flash flood that devastated the municipality's infrastructure almost two years ago. Since then, it has played a crucial role in ensuring daily mobility between the two parts of the urban center, allowing the passage of vehicles, pedestrians, and emergency services, as well as facilitating the restoration of basic services such as drinking water and electricity after the catastrophe.
The Picanya City Council states that the only official notification of its closure was received on Monday at 6:30 PM, just a few hours before the restriction came into effect. According to their social media, in recent weeks they had repeatedly requested the State Secretariat for Transport to postpone these works until the so-called Pont de la Memòria (Memory Bridge), located between the Diputación crossing and the Andreu Alfaro roundabout, was operational, a request that was ultimately not granted.
The municipal government considers the decision "unjustified and disappointing" and regrets the manner in which the closure was communicated. In their view, the Ministry has acted "without the necessary sensitivity" towards the situation Picanya is still facing a year and a half after the DANA and "without respecting" the principle of collaboration between administrations.
The council maintains that the closure forces a diversion of traffic towards the north via the CV-33, in the direction of Torrent, which is expected to increase traffic in various parts of the municipality. Likewise, it announces that it will work to accelerate the actions as much as possible and minimize the impact on circulation through traffic reorganization, especially at the Rotonda de los Vientos.
Despite their criticism, the Picanya City Council insists that its disagreement "does not stem from any desire for confrontation" with the Ministry of Transport, but from the obligation to defend the interests of the residents and reduce the impact the works will have on their daily lives. In this regard, the council assures that it will continue to collaborate with other administrations to expedite the work and restore normality as soon as possible.
Compromís calls for more transparency and planning
The rejection from the government team has also been joined by the municipal group Compromís. Its spokesperson, Guillem Gil, has expressed his "displeasure and surprise" at the bridge closure, considering that the decision was made without sufficient information or a detailed explanation of the planned works. The party maintains that the Ministry should have adapted the works schedule considering that neither the bridge on the Diputación crossing nor the old Puente Viejo are yet in service.
In his opinion, keeping the Ronda Est bridge open until an alternative was available would have avoided cutting off the only connection that allows for the municipality's usual mobility, especially during peak hours. Compromís also calls for explanations regarding the accumulated delays in alternative infrastructures and believes that the central government should have better coordinated the planning of actions with the Picanya City Council to reduce the impact on residents' daily commutes.
Eleven days with a single alternative access
The closure of the Ronda Est bridge will mean a significant change in Picanya's mobility until July 3rd. During this period, journeys north will have to be made via the CV-33, forcing a modification of the usual routes for thousands of residents who, since the DANA, had partially regained normality thanks to the functioning of the Ronda Est bridge.
