Madrid’s Alcalá Boulevard Project Faces Delay Over Traffic Concerns
Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida seeks to avoid further disruption to city mobility as major construction continues.
Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida has conditioned the start of construction on the Alcalá boulevard project on a “final re-evaluation” of its traffic study, ensuring it will not worsen the city’s current mobility challenges.
Speaking at a press conference following a government meeting, the mayor noted that while several construction sites, such as the Metro works at María de Molina and the Santiago Bernabéu area, are set to clear up in January, new disruptions are expected at other key points, including Atocha and Conde de Casal.
“I have asked the Mobility Delegate, Borja Carabante, for a final re-evaluation of that mobility study to determine the execution date for the works on the Alcalá boulevard,” Martínez-Almeida told the press. He stressed that the project would only proceed “with the conviction that it will not cause an even greater impact on mobility than what we currently have in the city of Madrid.”
The mayor also took the opportunity to thank Madrid residents for their “patience,” acknowledging that “the urban transformation that the city of Madrid is undergoing produces discomfort and disruptions.” He affirmed the municipal government’s commitment to “minimize” these impacts.
Boulevard Design
Rendering of the Alcalá street renovation project. Photo: Madrid City Council.
The proposed boulevard, located in the heart of the Paisaje de la Luz (Landscape of Light) UNESCO World Heritage site, involves creating a central promenade between the Plaza de la Cibeles and the Puerta de Alcalá. This change would reduce vehicle traffic to two lanes in each direction.
To improve pedestrian mobility, the project includes a 7.5-meter-wide boulevard in the middle of the roadway, featuring trees, plants, and a large walking area. In the direction heading up toward the Puerta de Alcalá, car lanes will be reduced from three to two. The plan also calls for an expanded, 2.6-meter-wide bidirectional bicycle lane, which will be separated from the bus lane by a 0.7-meter buffer.
