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The A-5 tunnel reaches 80% completion and heralds a new urban landscape in Madrid
Madrid is making progress on one of its most ambitious urban transformations with the undergrounding of the A-5, a project that will change the western access and life in several neighbourhoods. The entry tunnel is already 80% excavated, while the exit tunnel is more than halfway complete.
The timetable points to November 2026 as the key date, when traffic will begin to travel underground. Before that, phases such as surfacing and the installation of technical systems that will guarantee safety will be completed, with 14 emergency exits distributed along the tunnel.
The work incorporates innovative solutions, such as geothermal systems that will harness the heat generated to produce energy, reducing the environmental impact. This approach places the project within new sustainable urban strategies.
At surface level, the change will be even more visible. The former motorway route will give way to Paseo Verde, a major pedestrian thoroughfare that will connect areas such as Avenida de Portugal and Madrid Río. 80,000 square metres of green areas will be created and pedestrian connections between neighbourhoods will be doubled.
The new corridor will also include a 3.5-kilometre cycle lane, making sustainable journeys between the south-west and the centre easier. The intervention seeks not only to improve mobility, but also to stitch together a part of the city historically marked by traffic.
As the works progress, the impact is already noticeable in the area. Changes to routes, more activity and the expectation of a more liveable environment foreshadow a profound transformation in the daily lives of thousands of Madrid residents.