The Local Government Board has recently approved the proposal of the Councilor for Urban Planning and Services, Pedro José Sánchez, to study the possible closure to the traffic of the downtown Francisco Martínez Palao square, and must transfer the operation to the Urbanism and Police services Local for study and technical evaluation.
With this initiative, it is intended to prepare a proposal for urban planning for the area, which must be presented at the next Pedestrian Commission and assessed by its members;
and with which it is proposed to increase the area for the use and enjoyment of pedestrians, deterring traffic inside the square, and retaining the traffic on San Ildefonso, Tambojar and San Cosme streets.
In addition, it is considered pertinent to prepare a management proposal that contemplates the future use or treatment of the interior of the square.
Due to the conditions of its own historical evolution, the area of ​​the old town of Totana suffers from free spaces that serve as a meeting point between neighbors, recreation area, games for children, and so on;
practically the only example of this kind is the Plaza de la Balsa Vieja.
Precisely, this shortage of spaces makes the search for surfaces within the old town that is likely to be converted into a meeting and recreation area of ​​all citizens even more relevant.
Under this criterion, the traffic modifications in the BIC zone that resulted in the semi-pedestrianization of the Plaza de la Constitución were undertaken months ago, thus achieving 700 square meters of new free space surface in the heart of the municipality, resulting in the experience , to this day, very positive.
In this line of action, the Department of Urban Planning now values ​​a similar performance in another "ceiling" in the city center, as is the Plaza Francisco Martínez Palao, as evidenced by the proposal of the mayor.
This is a space in which there are several shops, which has a small kiosk, garden and some benches, but which is nevertheless dominated by motor vehicles;
and where, therefore, an exquisite opportunity for urban intervention arises that benefits pedestrians and favors users in general.
