Ronda paves the way for alternative route to take pressure off historic Puente Nuevo bridge

Ronda town council has approved the renewal of its general urban development plan (PGOU), a fundamental step toward the creation of an alternative route to the Puente Nuevo area, a project that is also included in the town's sustainable urban mobility plan (PMUS) for public and private transport. This progress is key to carrying out the necessary urban transformation and, consequently, to creating an infrastructure that has been in the planning stage for some time to improve people's ability to get around Ronda and especially to ease traffic congestion over the iconic bridge and in nearby areas.

According to mayor Mari Paz Fernández, the approved document has positive reports from the regional government's two ministries for culture and public works. The mayor indicated that a hydraulic study requested by the Junta has also been completed, which revealed that there are more lands affected by the public hydraulic domain than initially foreseen, especially in the area surrounding the Real Maestranza horseriding school. Inclusion of this assessment was necessary to comply with the technical requirements of the project.

Following provisional approval, the Junta de Andalucía will have a period of one month to ratify the requested reports, mainly those on culture and the public hydraulic domain. Once this step is completed, the change to the PGOU must be submitted for review by the provincial urban planning committee, along with the official statement known as the 'strategic environmental declaration', another requirement for this type of project. These procedures are essential to guarantee the legal and environmental viability of the infrastructure, which is part of the municipality's strategic planning.

The council meeting also addressed the objections submitted during the public consultation period. A total of 60 'alegaciones' were received, which were grouped into 12 different categories. The mayor explained that some of them questioned the need for the new road in terms of improving road transport links around the town, while others alleged this was just part of the council's intention to urbanise the Cerro de La Pedrea area, something which the mayor has declared as untrue. It was also announced that the resolutions will be published and forwarded to the regional ombudsman for Andalucía, who had requested information about the ongoing process.

The route for what will become the alternative road to this historic part of the town has not changed since the modification was made by the town council at the time of it being requested by the regional ministry of culture. It will maintain the entrance and exit roads between the San Francisco district and La Planilla and, on the other side, it will connect with Avenida Juan Pablo II and Ignacio Huelín Vallejo. The modification introduced previously affected 140 metres in the area around Cerro de La Pedrea (a large hill), with the aim of reducing the visual impact. In addition, the approved modification includes full protection of the Cerro due to its environmental and heritage value and includes the creation of a footpath and cycle path next to Las Culebras stream.

The town council expects this modification of the PGOU to be definitively approved next year, after completing all procedures with the provincial urban planning committee. With this, the municipality hopes to give a definitive boost to this strategic project that seeks to improve the movement of people and vehicles around the town without compromising on protecting its heritage and natural environment.