Residents of Galdakao's Aperribai neighborhood can now utilize their new, fourth elevator, which the City Council has constructed in this area over the past six years. The project, which commenced in June of last year, involved a municipal investment of 1,300,000 euros and aims to resolve the accessibility challenges faced by the approximately 2,000 inhabitants of this part of Galdakao.

Located away from the urban center, Aperribai sits on one side of the N-634 national road. Its complex topography, characterized by extensive slopes, has posed a significant challenge for municipal authorities, particularly due to the high number of elderly residents in the neighborhood. Since 2020, the Consistory has been “settling a historical debt” with its inhabitants, in the words of Mayor Iñigo Arrandiaga, through the progressive construction of three elevators, now totaling four with the one inaugurated yesterday, and mechanical ramps.

The new installation is situated on the left bank of Aperribai and features three stops. The first is at the height of portal number 9, the second opens at an elevation of 70 meters providing access to the public school, and the third and final stop, at 80 meters, leads to the upper part of the neighborhood, where users “can move along streets that are already flat”.

These last two stops include access walkways, 18 meters for the first and 42 meters for the upper one, equipped with a lighting system on the railings to ensure visibility at night. The cabin does not limit the number of people but has a system that blocks it if the maximum permitted weight is exceeded.

During the inauguration, Mayor Iñigo Arrandiaga emphasized that accessibility “is a priority for the governing team” and highlighted the importance of “facilitating access to public buildings such as the school or the health center,” which can be reached via another elevator built in 2022. The Urban Planning Councilor, Asier Egiraun, also present at the event, noted that “the great effort made by the Consistory has been worthwhile, not only economically but also with the seven municipal technicians who have worked on the project these months”.

From the neighborhood association, Abelleira pointed out that “the metro works have partially blocked one of the elevators, making it even more important for this one to be available now.” He also stressed the “decongestion” of traffic that it will bring to the school area, “where many residents used to go by car”.

The planning for Aperribai initially included the construction of five elevators. However, the realization of the fifth “will depend on the priorities set in the comprehensive accessibility plan,” stated Egiraun. The councilor referred to the commitment made by the governing team in the municipal plenary session in March, following a PSE motion approved unanimously, which called for the development of an action plan for all of Galdakao on this matter.

This plan seeks to “establish economic resources, execution deadlines, and priority criteria” for building ramps and other elevators, as well as identifying actions such as “widening sidewalks or lowering curbs,” which, although of lesser scope, “improve the quality of life of residents.” “With Aperribai, a large part of the debt has been settled, but there are other areas of Galdakao such as Zuatzaurre, Urtebieta, or Tximelarre, among others, where we also need to conduct a diagnosis of their needs,” concluded Egiraun.