Puerto Pollensa ring road opens

by Ann McDonald
THE first stretch of the Puerto Pollensa ring road was opened yesterday by deputy Balearic transport minister Antonio Pascual.
In a brief ceremony attended by Pollensa councillors and local dignitaries, as well as several people who were passing to shop at the nearby Caprabo supermarket, the landmark road construction was welcomed by all. Antonio Pascual praised the co-operation between the council and government departments which allowed the work to proceed smoothly and even incorporated a change to the plans when pedestrian access from Siller had to be included in the design. Pollensa mayor, Joan Cerda, stated that the next section of this the first phase of the port's bypass, which is intended to relieve congestion in the centre of the town, is scheduled to be finished by Easter. This will mean that all traffic heading for Formentor need not pass through Puerto itself.
Construction of the second phase of the ring road which links Llenaire on the sea front with the new Caprabo roundabout could begin next year.
Once the tape was cut and the road declared officially open, many of those present queued to obtain a piece of the ribbon as a souvenir of this special day in Puerto Pollensa. Joan Cerda, who must already have quite a boxful of pieces of tape, will be adding to his collection on Sunday when he attends both the opening of the Sa Pobla fair and that of the English-Speaking Residents Associations Christmas Bazaar which takes place in Pollensa's Santo Domigo Cloisters.