A NEW tender for works to build a wooden boardwalk connecting La Galera Beach with the dirt trail at Bahía Dorada has been put out.
The three-metre-wide path will be raised on porticos, fitted with safety railings on both sides and illuminated by LED beacons set into the pavement.
Officials say the new section will link up existing promenades and add another piece to the puzzle of the town’s coastline, which is now said to be around 95% walkable.
At the same time, plans are advancing on a further 673-metre stretch linking Guadalmina Baja and Casasola.
Nine companies have submitted offers to build the section, which will be laid in stamped concrete and connect existing paths at either end.
Mayor Jose Garcia Urbano described both projects as ‘another step’ towards completing the coastal footpath, a flagship scheme designed to improve quality of life and promote healthy living.
Other links still pending in Estepona include Bahía Dorada itself, Isdabe–Atalaya near El Paraiso, and a draft scheme at Costa Natura by the naturist resort towards Casares.
The wider Costa del Sol walkway, officially called the Senda Litoral, aims to create a continuous seaside route from Manilva to Malaga spanning more than 160 kilometres.
While most of it is already open, frustrating gaps remain in every municipality.
In Manilva, stretches at Punta Chullera and Playa Paraiso are still awaiting works, along with a planned footbridge over the Arroyo Peñuela.
While over in Marbella, small breaks remain around river mouths and between urbanisations, including at the Rio Guadaiza in San Pedro, Torre del Duque, and alongside Puerto Banus.
Further up in Mijas, two links near La Cala are tied up in paperwork. Fuengirola is pressing ahead with a footbridge over the Arroyo El Jardin, while Benalmadena is advancing a 700-metre section by its beachside hotels.
Torremolinos and Malaga are largely complete, though one short stretch near the Peñon del Cuervo remains in project.
No completion date has been set for the entire scheme, but town halls stress that progress continues. Once finished, it will finally be possible to walk or cycle without interruption along the Costa del Sol from the Cadiz border into Malaga city.
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They should try to close the gaps soon in order to not be forced to repair existing parts before the entire walkway is finished for the first time.