The asphalt laid in Gijón during the late 1990s is reaching the end of its useful life, according to Gilberto Villoria, the councillor for Urban and Rural Infrastructure. He explained that asphalt typically lasts around 25 years. To address this issue, the 2026 budget includes allocations for the renewal of 162,000 square metres across 156 streets, paths, and roads, amounting to a total investment of 3,776,623 euros.
"Maintaining our streets, paths, and roads in good condition is essential for the safety, accessibility, and quality of life of the citizens," said Villoria.
Villoria noted that many streets paved in the late 1990s are on the verge of exhausting their lifespan, and renewing them requires significant effort. While it may seem routine or minor, he emphasised the importance of maintaining infrastructure for public safety and accessibility.
Urban area investment
The urban area will see an investment of 2.66 million euros, focusing on 93,100 square metres across 111 streets, with works already completed, ongoing, and planned. These are divided into two categories based on their scale.
- The smaller-scale interventions are funded through the road maintenance contract. So far, 63 projects have been completed, covering 14,500 square metres, with an additional 25 projects planned, totalling 14,700 square metres and a budget of 370,000 euros.
- The largest completed project is on Calle Calixto Álvargonzález, adjacent to the provisional station and the Palace of Justice, covering 743 square metres.
- More extensive projects are being processed as investment projects and are in three phases: nearly 21,000 square metres completed at a cost of 714,000 euros, with notable works on Calle Marqués de Casa Valdés (1,784 square metres) and Camino del Túnel and del Manzano in the urban area of Somió (4,800 square metres).
- Thirteen streets have been awarded contracts and are either in progress or about to commence, with a budget of 900,000 euros. The largest projects include Avenida de la Constitución (6,390 square metres) and Avenida José Manuel Palacio (4,600 square metres).
- Four additional projects are planned, covering over 12,000 square metres and costing 302,000 euros, on streets such as Cabrales, Uría, Ramón y Cajal, and Dionisio Cifuentes.
Rural area investment
In the rural areas, the renewal is driven less by wear and more by changes in usage. The municipality has seen growth in single-family homes, and paths that once served farms now provide access to residences. Villoria noted that paving these paths improves service and reduces maintenance costs.
In 2026, work will be carried out on 45 paths across 19 parishes, covering 12.13 kilometres (69,000 square metres) with an investment of 1,115,000 euros, excluding previous expenditures. Four of these projects will be executed under the employment plan, costing 169,000 euros, while another four will be funded through the road maintenance contract, at a cost of 171,000 euros.
Summary of actions
- Completed actions: 14,500 m², 63 projects, 375,553 euros
- Planned actions: 14,700 m², 25 projects, 370,000 euros
- Planned investments: 12,175 m², 4 projects, 302,297 euros
- Contracts awarded/in progress: 30,821 m², 13 projects, 900,000 euros
- Completed investments: 20,903 m², 6 projects, 713,886 euros
Total: 93,099 m², 111 projects, 2,661,736 euros
