Groundbreaking in Sa Pobla: New roundabout makes Crestatx safer

Groundbreaking in Sa Pobla: New roundabout makes Crestatx safer

Around €2.3 million, ten months of construction – and a walking path to the church

On 15 January the excavators moved in, and on the cool morning a fresh wind blew over the Pla de Mallorca. On the dusty site near Crestatx, Balearic president Marga Prohens and island council president Llorenç Galmés symbolically turned the first spade – a moment that for many residents and visitors marks the end of a long period of tight curves and unsafe pedestrian routes.

The project, financed with around €2.3 million by the Balearic government, foresees a new roundabout at the existing intersection. A similar scheme is discussed in University Access Roundabout: More Safety — But Is It Enough?.

In addition to the roundabout itself, a separate pedestrian and cycle path is planned to connect Sa Pobla directly with the historic church square. Design guidance such as NACTO's guidance on roundabouts supports clearly separated paths for walking and cycling.

For families, seniors and cyclists who make the short Sunday trip into the village, this could mean the difference between stepping out at the roadside and enjoying a relaxed stroll.

The construction period is estimated at about ten months. Anyone living in Sa Pobla knows: a construction site always brings dust, traffic diversions and occasional truck traffic. However, the municipality has announced that it will schedule the work as much as possible so that peak traffic times are minimally affected, as was debated during the Roundabout at Son Castelló project. The new link should be finished in time for the summer — when Crestatx sees many more visitors.

Vivid details show why the project makes sense here: on Sundays visitors often park on the hard shoulder, residents cross the road with shopping bags, and cycling groups from the area use the stretch as a starting point for tours through the almond groves. A well-designed roundabout can arrange these small things into a smoother coexistence.

Thinking bigger: such interventions are more than concrete and asphalt. A landscaped roundabout with native shrubs, benches and good lighting can become a small meeting place — a spot to pause briefly before continuing along the finca roads toward Alcúdia. This approach echoes the Sa Pobla Calle Comerç redesign.

In the coming months it will be worth paying attention to the signage: pedestrian route markings, temporary parking bans and diversion routes for cyclists will be posted. Residents will also find useful information from the town hall — for example on delivery times for tradespeople or on waste collection during the construction phase.

Outlook: if all goes according to plan, the roundabout will bring more traffic efficiency and visible safety at a spot that is heavily frequented in leisure time. And anyone passing the Old Church of Crestatx on a sunny day may soon pause at the sound of a church bell — from now on without speeding cars at their back.

A small piece of advice to finish: those who appreciate the tranquility of the Pla de Mallorca should approach the construction phase with calm. Behind the barriers something is growing that will benefit the place in the long term — a slightly better connection between village and church, for pedestrians, cyclists and all who like to visit the square.