CV-95 Widening between Torrevieja and Orihuela Delayed Until at Least 2028

Plans to widen the busy CV-95 highway between Orihuela and Torrevieja have experienced setbacks, with construction unlikely to commence until at least 2028. The Valencian Government has awarded engineering firm Typsa a €1.32 million contract to prepare necessary documents for the project, but design work is projected to take over 20 months.

Completion of the plans is now anticipated around April 2028, causing previous suggestions of a 2027 start to be dismissed, as construction can only be tendered after project approval. The CV-95, spanning approximately 26.5 kilometers through or adjacent to Orihuela, Bigastro, Jacarilla, and San Miguel de Salinas, currently has a single lane in each direction, handling around 10,000 vehicles daily on most segments.

Traffic volume rises to over 20,000 vehicles per day near Torrevieja, particularly during the summer. Typsa will evaluate various enhancements, including widening and constructing bypasses to alleviate traffic in populated zones. The project's primary objectives are to boost capacity, enhance road safety, and facilitate better connectivity between inland Vega Baja and the coast.

The overall cost is estimated at €180 million, with the government opting for an availability-payment concession, allowing a private entity to finance and build the road, while the government repays through yearly payments contingent on the road's availability and maintenance. The Torrevieja Hospital to N-332 bypass section is excluded.

Torrevieja Mayor Eduardo Dolón clarified that this segment will be partially built by the La Ceñuela housing sector developer, with some regional funding. Attempts to expedite the Orihuela to Torrevieja road date back over three decades, with a motorway project awarded in 2007 but halted due to missing environmental assessment. After abandonment, contractors received €10 million in compensation.

Subsequent administrations concentrated on installing roundabouts and addressing hazardous intersections. In April 2025, Regional Minister Vicente Martínez Mus introduced a new concession model, aiming for a possible 2027 commencement, but this timeline has since been delayed.