[News] This is how the Plaza Baquedano roundabout will look like according to the “Nueva Alameda” plan: parks will be connected

[FNX Magokiler]

The place of celebrations and that was once the epicenter of the demonstrations of the social outbreak of 2019 will change its face forever. The statue of General Baquedano is gone and there are few signs of the entrance to the metro. It is a project that was planned since 2015 and that is part of the remodeling of the entire Alameda, with the aim of recovering facades and establishing fluid connections. The agreement has been possible thanks to the joint work of technical teams, ministers, mayors and the regional government. Minister Carolina Tohá stressed that this project involves "thinking about the city and public space with other priorities."

After intense months of negotiations and joint work between the technical teams of the ministries, the mayors and the Government of Santiago, a transcendental agreement has been reached for the future of Plaza Italia within the framework of the Nueva Alameda project. This consensus represents a significant milestone in the development of one of the most emblematic areas of the capital, almost four years after the social outbreak, and almost three years after the removal of the statue of General Baquedano.

As part of this agreement, the roundabout of Plaza Baquedano will be removed —the so-called Plaza de la Dignidad in October 2019— to make way for the creation of a large public space of more than 13,000 square meters, according to detailed from the regional government. This new space will be projected towards the Parque Forestal, establishing a connection between Bustamante and Alameda streets. In addition, they promise, this initiative will imply a 53% reduction in the space allocated to vehicles, in order to encourage more sustainable mobility and promote a friendlier urban environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

 

 

The transformation of the emblematic place in Santiago —where former President Piñera took a controversial photo taking advantage of the fact that everyone was at home in the midst of the 2020 pandemic— is part of an ambitious remodeling project for the entire Alameda, which was conceived through of an international contest called in 2015 by the then Mayor of the Metropolitan Region, Claudio Orrego. Currently, one of the first components of the project is being carried out, which consists of cleaning and recovering 8 kilometers of facades of La Alameda, from Vicuña Mackenna to the west, in the Santiago district, to Aeropuerto street in Lo Prado, passing through Central Station. The works are 80% complete and are expected to be completed in August.

The Governor of Santiago, Claudio Orrego (DC), expressed: “We have reached a transversal political agreement to carry out the most important urban transformation project in Chile and Santiago. There is no going back on this project." In addition, he added: “Santiago gains almost 13,000 m2 of green area in public space. Where before there was a roundabout, now there will be a park for citizens. Where before there was a space for cars, now there will be a space for people. It is a happy day for the city of Santiago”.

The Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá (PPD), stressed that this project involves "thinking about the city and public space with other priorities, putting people first." Likewise, she highlighted that public space is prioritized as a meeting place where everyone has the opportunity to use it and feel respected, comfortable and proud.

 

https://www.elmostrador.cl/noticias/pais/2023/07/13/asi-se-vera-la-rotonda-de-plaza-italia-segun-el-plan-nueva-alameda-parques-estaran-conectados/