Roads
A new road for Granada province's Alpujarra, with 24 fewer bends and a viaduct
The new route will feature viewing points and car parks, while cyclists and pedestrians will be encouraged to use the old road where they can better enjoy the views
Laura Ubago
Granada
La Alpujarra in Granada province is set to get a new road before the end of the year. By the end of 2026, the area ... will have a safer, upgraded route, with 24 fewer bends and it will be around two kilometres shorter.
The road will run between the Tablate bridge ā just off the A4 road ā and the town of Lanjarón. This project will help to better manage the 4,000 vehicles that travel this route daily, including heavy goods vehicles heading to the water bottling plant.
The new Alpujarra road will improve access to the area. It will be built in two sections and will involve the removal of around twenty bends, the widening of the carriageway and a reduction in the route length from 3.8 to 1.7 kilometres from the Tablate bridge to Lanjarón.
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The first section begins shortly after crossing the Tablate bridge, near the chapel of the Virgen de las Angustias, and ends at the Aguas de Lanjarón bottling plant, in an area with rugged terrain as it lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Initially, the route will diverge slightly from the existing road to form a junction with the BailĆ©nāMotril road, where there will be a newly constructed junction which will provide access to the current road. This will be aimed at cyclists and pedestrians thanks to a path which will allow access to neighbouring properties and amenities.
The project also includes a 70-metre-long cut-and-cover tunnel and a 166-metre-long viaduct to cross the existing river valley. Once past the viaduct, the route follows gentle bends to the left and right before joining the existing road at a third junction, which leads to the industrial estate. Here roundabout is planned to facilitate access to the Aguas de Lanjarón bottling plant and the El Tejar industrial estate.
The construction of the new access route to the Alpujarra also incorporates measures to ensure environmental and landscape integration, including the restoration of the CaƱada Real de Sierra Nevada, rest areas and viewing points for pedestrians and cyclists, vegetation restoration, and measures to protect native wildlife. The old route will be a paradise for cyclists and will be preserved as a recreational area where people can enjoy the views.