After a mandate marked by the covid, the Esplugues de Llobregat City Council sets itself the challenge of improving urban planning “all the streets of the city” over the next four years, as the mayor, Pilar Díaz, explained this Wednesday. To achieve this, an investment of 35.5 million euros has been programmed, structured in four phases. “It is a very big effort for a city like ours,” said Díaz.
The plan for the town of 46,414 inhabitants, nicknamed 4×100%, mixes large actions with small ones. In the first area, the urbanization of the ARE Montesa stands out, the new urban development of the city, with 15 million euros of investment. Also the reform of Plaça de la Bòvila and Pont de Esplugues, which is now a “source of conflict” and where the aim is to improve “coexistence” between pedestrians and personal mobility vehicles.
But a good part of the project consists of small actions such as improving sidewalks, pavements, roads or lighting “with a gender perspective” to increase the feeling of security. For example, we also want to eliminate architectural barriers, make city bus stops accessible, sign some pedestrian crossings with pictograms for people with autism, and renew street furniture.
Another aspect of the plan is to “expand the mass of trees” in the municipality, said the first deputy mayor, Eduard Sanz. They also want to act on some sewers.
“We will use agile formulas to process small projects, as long as they do not exceed a certain amount,” responded the mayor when asked about the administrative challenge of acting on 220 streets in four years at the level of public tenders and bureaucratic procedures.
“It is an ambitious and historic plan,” defined Pilar Díaz. We will begin with the most urgent works and with some that are already underway from the last mandate. In some projects they will have help from European funds. Next year, Esplugues will raise taxes “in line with the CPI”, according to the mayor. For example, the IBI will increase by 4.5%.
