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Closures and diversions on the M-50 and several Madrid motorways this summer
Madrid is entering a summer of roadworks on some of its busiest roads. The M-50, the A-5 and other access and ring roads will have closures, diversions and lane reductions during July and August, coinciding with the season of departures, returns and weekend travel.
The Dirección General de Tráfico and the Ministerio de Transportes are taking advantage of the months with less commuter traffic to carry out road surface rehabilitation, improve signage, waterproof structures and replace safety elements. The aim is to reduce the impact, although for many drivers the disruptions will be unavoidable.
The M-50 will be one of the most affected roads. The works are concentrated on several sections in the south and southeast of the region, between kilometres 17 and 55.5, with successive phases affecting areas near Getafe, Fuenlabrada, Leganés and the junctions with major motorways.
The first set of closures will begin on Monday, 6 July. In the area of the Eje Culebro, between kilometres 46 and 55.5, the works will start by affecting the right-hand carriageway and diverting traffic via the service road by the Nassica shopping centre. For those travelling in this area, access to shopping areas, industrial estates and connections with the A-4 or A-42 may take longer than usual.
On the same M-50, the southeastern section will also have significant closures. Between 6 and 17 July, the disruptions will be concentrated between kilometres 24.55 and 37.5, with diversions via the M-45 and the M-31 and restrictions at junctions such as the R-3 towards the M-50.
From 20 to 24 July, the works 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, the disruptions will move to the left-hand carriageway, first between kilometres 46 and 37.5 and then between kilometres 37.5 and 26.
The last part of August will bring night-time closures on both carriageways between the M-45 and the A-2. Between 17 and 28 August, the works will take place from 21:00 to 6:00, with signposted diversions via the M-45 and exit 17 towards the A-2, depending on the direction of travel.
The A-5 will also face a complicated summer. The road surface rehabilitation works affect the section between kilometres 10 and 36.7, passing through municipalities such as Alcorcón y Móstoles and Navalcarnero, with an investment of 15.4 million euros.
Between 6 July and 7 August, the right shoulder, right lane and part of the centre lane in the direction of Toledo will be occupied between kilometres 13.4 and 14.2. Traffic will continue on the other lanes, but with lane reductions. In addition, the slip road at kilometre 13 towards the A-5 in the direction of Badajoz will be closed.
In this case, the alternative route will be via avenida de San Martín de Valdeiglesias to the M-50 southbound, to rejoin the motorway later. For regular drivers from Alcorcón y Móstoles, this will be one of the points to check before setting off.
From 13 July to 26 August, the disruptions will move to the Madrid-bound direction, between kilometres 24.4 and 23.5. Here, the right shoulder, right lane and part of the centre lane will be occupied, although the service road will remain open.
In addition, until 31 August there will be occasional lane closures at various points on the A-5 between kilometres 10 and 36.7. These restrictions will apply from early Monday morning to midday Friday, always affecting only one carriageway at a time.
The schedule comes in the middle of Operación Verano, with millions of journeys expected. The DGT has warned that weekends, the start of the month and special operations in August will see much of the movement towards second homes, coastal areas, the mountains and holiday destinations.
For drivers, the recommendation is to check the traffic conditions before setting off, avoid peak hours on Fridays and Sundays when possible, and plan alternative routes via the M-45, M-31, M-40, A-42 or M-506 depending on the affected section.
The works will not bring Madrid to a standstill, but they will change many daily journeys. A closed access, an occupied lane or a night-time diversion can turn a routine trip into a longer journey, especially for those who rely on the M-50 or the A-5 for work, returning home or leaving the region.
Once again, summer in Madrid will be a mix of holidays, heat and cones on the road. Improvements to the road surface and road safety will come later; for now, it will be necessary to drive with more patience and check the map before assuming any route.