Yaiza is looking into two options to improve the dirt road to Papagayo, ensuring it’s sustainable, permanent, environmentally friendly and in keeping with its natural surroundings
Currently, the dirt track between Playa Blanca and Papagayo, one of Lanzarote’s jewel destinations, is rough, dusty and torturous. Annual repairs seem to last as long as makeup on a hot summer’s day, but at last, Yaiza town hall is now weighing up two innovative and sustainable new ways of surfacing the track in the hope of finding a permanent solution.
The mayor of this southern municipality, Óscar Noda, is also looking at ways to finance the work. ‘Resurfacing would take place on the stretch from where the asphalted road ends, all the way to the main car park, including the tracks that lead to Playa Mujeres and the campsite.’ It totals approximately 7.65 km of track, which is on average six metres wide. Some areas would require aquifer channelling. Both proposals involve laying a surface between 15-25 cm thick to provide a smooth, even surface and uniform colour.
The first proposal was put forward by a Canarian company, Iniciativas Batisod SL. It plans to use its patented sustainable Batisoli technology designed to surface dirt roads and withstand even high vehicle rolling loads. It is applied in powder form, does not require additional aggregates,and is permeable, stable, resistant, durable and totally ecological.
The other option is the Du Roc System, presented by Ancap, S.L. Its resurfacing method involves applying an environmentally-friendly liquid that compacts the soil giving it the firmness and texture of asphalt and a water-resistant surface.