Por Pablo Arranz 
Alicante, April 24, 2024.- The City Council of Alicante is finalizing the preparations for the extensive traffic, security, public transport, and emergency operation for the 536 Pilgrimage to the Santa Faz, scheduled for Thursday, May 1, three weeks later than in the 2024 edition, coinciding with the Jubilee Year, which is expected to attract a larger number of pilgrims, according to the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante. The traditional key test of the niche of the shrine will take place next Monday with the participation of the two syndics, councilors Ana Poquet and Julio Calero.
A total of 300 local police officers, working in morning and afternoon shifts, will provide service to ensure the smooth development of the Pilgrimage. They will be distributed along the route of the pilgrimage, in the village of Santa Faz, and in the area of the alcohol-free 0.0 party, located at number 16 of Avenida de Niza, in Playa de San Juan. In addition to the local police officers, 100 Civil Protection volunteers and a unit of Drone Firefighters will be present. As for the National Police, announced last Wednesday in a meeting held at the Government Subdelegation, more than 500 members of the National Police and the Civil Guard will reinforce the security deployment. The health service will consist of seven ambulances. Two of them will provide service at Playa de San Juan from 11 am to 5 pm, coinciding with the alcohol-free 0.0 party.
The alcohol-free 0.0 party on Avenida de Niza
The space designated for the alcohol-free 0.0 party is an activity aimed at young people. It will be located in front of number 16 of Avenida de Niza, in Playa de San Juan (Rolling Skate area). The event will run from 10 am to 5 pm. Live music with a DJ, activities, contests, games, and raffles are scheduled. Tickets for handball matches of Eon Handball, Lucentum Basketball, Intercity, and Hércules, as well as shirts from these sports entities, will be given away. There will be a Violet Point, staffed by Equality agents. All of this will be hosted by the speaker Mr. Barceló.
Traffic cuts from 4:00 am to midnight
The Pilgrimage will affect traffic with road closures from 4:00 am on Thursday morning until midnight. The two lanes of N-332/340, in the direction of Sant Joan-Alicante, will be closed to all vehicles and exclusively for pedestrians. It is also mentioned that the surroundings of the Santa Faz village will be closed to traffic on the day of the Pilgrimage. Therefore, Denia Avenue (CN-332/340) will be closed from La Goteta junction to San Juan crossroad to general traffic. Only authorized vehicles and pedestrians with origin-destination in the village will be allowed to circulate.
In addition, the Police will maintain surveillance and control on the A-7 and at the Monastery access roundabout, the footbridge, its limits, the Barranco channeling, the area where the pilgrims settle, as well as surveillance at the «Paraeta,» which will have a wide security perimeter.
Bus shuttle between Puerta del Mar and the monastery
The City Council of Alicante and Vectalia MIA, the bus public transport concessionaire, will provide a shuttle service on Thursday of Santa Faz every five minutes between Puerta del Mar and the Village from 8 am to 9:30 pm. The service will continue on Saturday and Sunday, every 20 minutes, along with other public transport services such as the taxi stop at Postiguet by the pedestrian footbridge and the reinforcement of urban bus lines 2, 8, 13, and 22 and TRAM services.
Alternative routes
As alternative routes to detours with destination Valencia on the A-7 highway, access can be made through any of its possible junctions. Passing traffic from Alicante to Valencia will be diverted by the following route: Juan Bautista Lafora Avenue, Villajoyosa Avenue, Costa Blanca Avenue / Condomina Avenue – Niza Avenue along the coast, to the junction with N-332 in the municipality of El Campello and through the A-7 highway.
Similarly, with a destination of Alicante, exit from the A-7 highway at its junction with CN-332, at the height of San Juan. For a destination to Alcoy, drive on the A-7 highway, accessing it through any of its possible junctions, and through the San Vicente del Raspeig – San Juan road, Ronda San Vicente – San Juan.
Urban cleaning
The City Council and Netial have established a special operation for the pilgrimage, both in the areas near the monastery and in Playa de San Juan. These services will cover the Pilgrimage with teams of operators, drivers, platform vehicles, blowers, and sweepers. 1,100-liter containers will be installed in the esplanades near the monastery and small containers along the entire Pilgrimage route.