Unlike in many other European capitals, pedestrian traffic lights in Madrid do not have an electronic counter showing the seconds remaining to cross. This decision was made after it was found that, far from helping pedestrians, the timers caused anxiety and stress among passersby.
The Design of Taxis and Buses
The exterior appearance of Madrid’s taxis—recognizable by their white color and the diagonal red stripe on the front doors—is the result of several changes over time. Originally, the vehicles featured stripes of different colors to indicate the fare type. Later, they became predominantly black. However, the heat that built up inside those cars while driving along streets like the Paseo de la Castellana in the middle of August prompted a change. It was during the 1980s, spearheaded by Enrique Tierno Galván, that the standardized model currently in use was established.
The color of the buses operated by the Municipal Transportation Company (EMT) also has its own history. There is a popular belief that the color blue was originally chosen to mimic the capital’s sky, but the reality is that the initial dark blue was inherited directly from the former Madrid Tramway Company. Although for a time Madrid’s buses were painted red, in 2008 it was decided to return to a shade of blue. In this latest redesign, the designers did take the characteristic hue of Madrid’s sky as a direct reference and source of inspiration.
Streetlights and House Numbering
Street furniture hides other functions designed for safety and organization. Every streetlight in the city has its own number visible on its structure. This number serves as a direct reference so that emergency services can pinpoint a person’s exact location if an incident occurs on a public street.
On the other hand, the logic behind the numbering of buildings on the city’s streets begins at Puerta del Sol. Street numbering begins with the number one at the end closest to this central square. Thus, the closer a building’s entrance is to ground zero, the lower its number, and the number increases as the street extends away from Puerta del Sol.