Marbella announces 40-metre obelisk on future grand 'boulevard'

Marbella town hall is seeking to replicate the San Pedro Alcántara boulevard, which formed as a result of the undergrounding of the old A-7 motorway to eliminate daily traffic jams in the town centre and create a new economic and social hub.

According to Marbella Mayor Ángeles Muñoz, this made San Pedro Alcántara "a space for community and development".

Now, Marbella wants to do something similar with the N-340 road. It has already completed the section between the town and Puente Romano and is preparing to complete it with works that will extend in both directions: eastwards, from the Manuel Haro roundabout to the Arco de Marbella, and westwards, from Puente Romano to the Centro Forestal Sueco.

The latter phase includes the installation of a "unique feature": a 40-metre-high obelisk at the intersection of the N-340 and Istán (A-7176) roads. According to the project's technical documents, the obelisk is "a tribute to the town of Marbella, not only as an internationally renowned tourist destination, but also as a place with a rich historical and cultural heritage".

The project represents an investment of approximately four million euros, of which just over 785,000 euros correspond to the obelisk.

"This project is part of a comprehensive strategy to transform the N-340 as it passes through Marbella, aimed at improving both traffic and the urban landscape of one of the municipality's main thoroughfares," public works councillor Diego López told SUR.

With the completion of these two new sections, the town hall is "making decisive progress towards finishing the so-called 'boulevard', progressively integrating the road into the urban environment". According to López, these actions "not only improve road safety and traffic flow, but also incorporate beautification elements, landscaped areas and a better organisation of public space".

Marbella town hall intended to launch the bidding process for the project immediately, but municipal technicians are reviewing the technical documentation to introduce improvements in various "relevant aspects related to the safety of the area". Pending the final decision, the initial budget for this initiative was 3.86 million euros and the intention remains to put the project out to tender "as soon as possible".

This section includes three separate projects: improving accessibility on the sidewalk of Avenida Juan de la Cierva, between the Local Police headquarters and the Arco de Marbella; constructing a landscaped median between the Manuel Haro roundabout and the Local Police roundabout; and restoring the Los tres barcos fountain.

The first project involves building a new sidewalk along 198 metres and installing lighting. The landscaped median will extend for 315 metres and, in addition to beautifying the area, will improve road safety.

This section is in two parts totalling 1,943 metres: the 605 metres between Puente Romano and the intersection with the Istán road and the 1,338 metres between the A-7176 and the Centro Forestal Sueco, where technicians will install planters to serve as a median.

In-between, there is a 57-metre stretch. That will be the location of the roundabout and the obelisk. The obelisk will have a hollow, truncated pyramid shape, measuring seven by seven metres at the base and 3.5 by 3.5 metres at the top.

The structure will have four sections, each 7.28 metres high, with a final access section leading to the maintenance area at the top. The obelisk will also have electrical power for lighting, lightning rods, beacons and signage, a telecommunications network and a video surveillance system, as well as a stormwater drainage system and a remotely managed irrigation network.

This phase of the project ends at the boundary of the road corridor defined when this stretch of the N-340 was transferred from the state to Marbella town hall in 1996.