The Benetússer City Council has received confirmation of the award of 5,999,994 euros in European FEDER funding, through the EDIL DANA Plan promoted by the Ministry of Finance. This aid will be allocated to the joint bid submitted with Cheste, aiming to improve the recovery and resilience of both municipalities following the flood of October 29, 2024.
The resolution validates the alliance between the two city councils, which formed a Functional Urban Area to present a proposal with differentiated actions. For Benetússer, the investment will enable the construction of an elevated park-and-ride facility, a strategic action to meet the high demand for parking and reduce vehicles parked on the street.
This initiative also arises in response to the experiences of the 2024 flood, when vehicles parked on the streets posed a risk as they were swept away by water. The new car park will concentrate these vehicles in a specific area, freeing up public space. The reduction of cars will allow for more space for people, expand green areas, and advance pedestrianization, integrating the project into the municipal reconstruction model.
“"We do not want reconstruction to consist solely of returning Benetússer to how it was before October 29th. We must take advantage of every project to solve problems our municipality already had, improve our public spaces, and, especially, be much better prepared for future extreme weather events."
The Mayor of Benetússer, Eva Sanz, has valued the award as "very important news" that confirms the results of the work to seek funding. Sanz also highlighted the importance of collaboration with Cheste, stating that "joining forces allowed us to present a more solid project and access funds that would otherwise have been much harder to obtain," demonstrating that "cooperation between municipalities is also a fundamental tool for facing reconstruction."
