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Closures and diversions on the M-50 and several Madrid motorways this summer
Madrid enters a summer of roadworks on some of its most used roads. The M-50, the A-5 and other access and ring-road routes will have closures, diversions and lane narrowing in July and August, coinciding with the season for departures, returns and weekend journeys.
The Dirección General de Tráfico and the Ministry of Transport take advantage of the months with less work-related traffic to carry out road-surface rehabilitation work, improve signage, waterproof structures and replace safety features. The intention is to reduce the impact, although disruptions will be unavoidable for many drivers.
The M-50 will be one of the most affected roads. Work is concentrated on several stretches in the south and south-east of the region, between kilometres 17 and 55.5, with successive phases affecting areas near Getafe, Fuenlabrada, Leganés and junctions with major motorways.
The first round of closures will begin on Monday 6 July. In the Eje Culebro area, between kilometres 46 and 55.5, the works will begin with disruption to the right-hand carriageway and diversions via the service road of the Nassica shopping centre. For those travelling through this area, access to commercial areas, industrial estates and connections with the A-4 or A-42 may take longer than usual.
On the same M-50, the south-east section will also see major closures. Between 6 and 17 July, disruptions will be concentrated between kilometres 24.55 and 37.5, with diversions via the M-45 and M-31 and restrictions at slip roads such as the R-3 entrance towards the M-50.
From 20 to 24 July, the work will move to the section between kilometres 37.5 and 46, with closures and diversions via the M-31. At the end of July and during the first half of August, disruptions will move to the left-hand carriageway, first between kilometres 46 and 37.5 and then between kilometres 37.5 and 26.
The latter part of August will bring night-time closures on both carriageways between the M-45 and the A-2. Between 17 and 28 August, work will take place from 21:00 to 6:00, with signed diversions via the M-45 and exit 17 towards the A-2, depending on the direction of travel.
The A-5 will also have a difficult summer. Road-surface rehabilitation works affect the stretch between kilometres 10 and 36.7, as it passes through municipalities such as Alcorcón, Móstoles and Navalcarnero, with an investment of 15.4 million euros.
Between 6 July and 7 August, the right-hand hard shoulder, the right-hand lane and part of the middle lane will be occupied in the Toledo-bound direction between kilometres 13.4 and 14.2. Traffic will continue on the other lanes, but with narrowed lanes. In addition, the entry slip road at the kilometre 13 junction onto the A-5 towards Badajoz will be closed.
In that case, the alternative route will run along Avenida de San Martín de Valdeiglesias to the M-50, southbound, before rejoining the motorway afterwards. For regular drivers in Alcorcón and Móstoles, this will be one of the points most worth checking before setting off.
From 13 July to 26 August, disruptions will move to the Madrid-bound direction, between kilometres 24.4 and 23.5. There, the right-hand hard shoulder, the right-hand lane and part of the middle lane will be occupied, although the service road will remain in operation.
In addition, until 31 August there will be occasional lane closures on different stretches of the A-5 between kilometres 10 and 36.7. These restrictions will apply from the early hours of Monday until midday on Friday, always affecting only one carriageway at a time.
The schedule comes during Operación Verano, with millions of journeys expected. The DGT has warned that weekends, the start of each month and special August operations will account for a large share of travel to second homes, coastal and mountain areas, and holiday destinations.
For drivers, the recommendation will be to check traffic conditions before setting off, avoid Friday and Sunday peak times where possible, and plan alternative routes via the M-45, M-31, M-40, A-42 or M-506 according to the affected stretch.
The works will not bring Madrid to a standstill, but they will change many everyday journeys. A closed access point, an occupied lane or a night-time diversion can turn a familiar trip into a longer journey, especially for those who depend on the M-50 or A-5 to work, return home or leave the region.
Summer in Madrid will once again be a mix of holidays, heat and traffic cones on the road. Improvements to the surface and road safety will come later; first, drivers will have to be more patient and check the map before assuming any route is available.