Benidorm reopens Jaime I underground car park, with more than 400 spaces

Almost 15 years later, Benidorm City Council is resuming its intention to build an underground parking garage on Avenida Jaime I, with capacity for more than 400 vehicles. This was announced today by Mayor Toni Pérez, who stated that "next Monday, the plenary session will vote to transfer the concession for the planned parking garage on Jaime I to Telpark Benidorm, which currently manages the Ametlla del Mar, Mercado Municipal, and Tomás Ortuño parking garages." Until now, this concession was held by Aljamil, which was acquired by the former over a year ago.

With this transfer, "the company acquires the right to build and operate this public parking lot," which "will significantly increase the available parking spaces in this area, which will undoubtedly contribute to revitalizing activity—as was already the case with the avenue's remodeling—while also addressing and addressing potential current and future parking needs," said Toni Pérez, who also emphasized that, unlike the previous phase, the project will be carried out "with great care for the existing trees and trying to minimize the impact of the project on businesses, residents, the public thoroughfare, and pedestrian and traffic traffic."

The mayor announced that the underground parking lot will cover the section of Jaime I that runs from Avenida Nicaragua to the intersection with Ricardo Bayona and Los Limones, with a length of approximately 350 meters; he added that "the work will begin almost immediately." In fact, the plan is that, once the Immaculate Conception long weekend has passed next December, the area will be fenced and excavation work will begin, focusing primarily on the roadway.

In addition to the parking lot, two roundabouts are planned on the avenue to facilitate access without slowing or paralysing traffic. The first of the roundabouts will be located at Ricardo Bayona and Los Limones streets, and the second, next to Marqués de Comillas.

As the mayor emphasised, "when planning the work, we will ensure that the impact is minimal, both for residents and merchants, so that the work can coexist with the daily life of the avenue, at least for pedestrians."

Specifically, on the left side of the avenue going uphill, the sidewalk will only be minimally encroached on at very specific points; While on the right side, the sidewalks will be temporarily reduced by several meters, but "always respecting and guaranteeing pedestrian traffic and access to buildings and businesses." Once the work is completed, the pavement will be replaced.

At this point, Toni Pérez recalled that "the current Avenida Jaime I was remodelled a little less than a decade ago, and hence one of the requirements we have imposed is that the work have minimal impact on the renovated surroundings, paying special attention to the sidewalks and the care of the trees." To this end, approximately half of the existing trees on the right side, going uphill, will be pruned, removed, transplanted, and cared for until they can be replanted, while those on the left sidewalk will remain untouched.

The approximate completion time for the project is 15 months, and the work will be structured in "three phases." Thus, the company is expected to present the basic project as soon as possible, and work can begin immediately after the Immaculate Conception long weekend, so that "it will only affect one Christmas period, one Easter week, and one summer."

Background and corrective actions

Jaime I underground parking garage was included in the Futura 2000 Plan—which included the Foietes, Ametlla del Mar, Mercat, and Tomás Ortuño parking garages—in 2009, replacing the one planned for Plaza de España. Once the surveys and technical studies certified the viability of this infrastructure in August of that year, the parking lot's viability was certified.

In early April 2010, as part of the preparatory work for the parking garage, trenches were dug and all the trees were uprooted from the middle and lower sections of Avenida Jaime I, which was left destroyed as the parking garage was never built. After five years of merchants and residents enduring what the mayor described as "horror," in 2015, with Toni Pérez as mayor, the avenue was remodelled, thus addressing the demands of merchants and residents.

Among the improvements introduced in the remodelling was the creation of shaded areas, removing the awnings and shades from the previous phase and planting around 90 trees.

When planning the new project, special attention was paid to preserving this natural heritage, "unlike what happened in 2010." Thus, 31 trees are planned to be removed from the avenue, which "will be temporarily taken to a nursery and later transplanted elsewhere in the city." According to the mayor, "the removal, care, and transplantation of these trees will be supervised at all times by the municipal agricultural engineer."

"We are not going to repeat the mistakes others made in the past," Toni Pérez emphasised, after assuring that "political leaders and municipal technicians will be closely monitoring the progress of the project and ensuring that every one of the conditions set by the City Council is met to reduce inconvenience to residents and business owners and the impact on the environment."

Finally, the mayor noted that "traffic and mobility conditions have changed significantly in Benidorm since this project was planned." Among other measures, this includes the creation of more than 9,000 park-and-ride spaces, the implementation of traffic-calming measures, the implementation of the LEZ, and the regulation of new streets and pedestrian zones. He stated that "we believe it was time to carry out this project, which is necessary to provide more public parking around Jaime I and will improve the services of this avenue and surrounding streets, thereby increasing the commercial and social appeal of the area."