Mazón Announces €180 Million Public‑Private Plan to duplicate CV‑95 Between Orihuela and Torrevieja
Les Corts, Valencia – In the General Policy Debate held this week, Valencian President Carlos Mazón unveiled a major infrastructure move to finally address a road project pending for more than 30 years: the duplication of the CV‑95 connecting Orihuela and Torrevieja. The plan foresees an estimated investment of €180 million under a public‑private concession model.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Duplication (desdoblamiento) of CV‑95 |
| Route | Orihuela ↔ Torrevieja |
| Investment | €180 million (public‑private) |
| Delivery model | Concession with payment by availability (PPP) |
| Included works | Dual carriageway and bypasses for Bigastro, Jacarilla, San Miguel de Salinas |
What Mazón Announced in Les Corts
During the Debate of General Policy in Les Corts, Carlos Mazón presented a package of 44 measures he described as ”realistic, quantifiable and measurable” to continue the region’s change. One of the most notable was the announcement to start the long‑delayed process to desdoblar (duplicate) the CV‑95, the road that links inland orihuela with coastal Torrevieja.
Mazón specified that the project will be executed through a public‑private collaboration using a concession with payment by availability. The plan converts the current single‑carriageway into a dual‑carriageway autovía and includes variants (bypasses) to divert traffic away from towns such as Bigastro, jacarilla and San Miguel de Salinas.
Why this Project matters
- Safety: Upgrading to a dual carriageway reduces head‑on collisions and eases overtaking risks.
- Traffic and Congestion: The new autovía will improve traffic flow between inland and coastal zones, especially during peak tourist months.
- Local Quality of Life: Bypasses for Bigastro, Jacarilla and San Miguel de salinas will remove heavy through‑traffic from local streets, lowering noise and pollution.
- Economic and Tourism Boost: Better road connections support commerce, logistics and access to Torrevieja’s coastlines and services.
- Long‑standing Demand: The duplication has been pending for over three decades; starting the process addresses a persistent infrastructure shortfall.
what Does “Payment by Availability” Mean?
Payment by availability is a common public‑private partnership (PPP) formula. Under this model:
- A private consortium designs, builds and often maintains the road.
- The public authority pays the private partner over time based on the road’s availability, condition and compliance with performance standards – not simply on completion.
- This transfers certain construction and maintenance risks to the private partner while ensuring the road remains operational and well maintained.
Authorities typically manage the contract terms, monitoring, and payments, while ensuring public access and safety standards.
Next Steps and Expectations
Mazón stated the government will “initiate the process” for the CV‑95 duplication. Although the announcement signifies political will and an allocated budget estimate of €180 million, the timetable for tendering, permits, environmental reviews and construction start was not specified in the speech.
Stakeholders likely to watch and participate in the coming months include:
- Valencian regional government agencies (generalitat Valenciana)
- Local councils of Orihuela, Torrevieja, Bigastro, Jacarilla and San Miguel de Salinas
- Private construction and concession consortia
- Regional transport and environmental regulators
Possible Challenges
- Securing environmental approvals and managing land use for the new alignment and bypasses.
- Negotiating concession terms that protect public interest while offering project bankability to private partners.
- Minimizing disruption for drivers and residents during construction.
Local Reaction and Context
The CV‑95 has long been cited by residents and local leaders as a bottleneck and a safety concern, especially during summer tourist traffic peaks.The announced investment seeks to resolve infrastructure deficits that have lingered for more than 30 years.
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