Work on the Extremadura highway is progressing as expected, and the machines have fully bored through the underground tunnels of the A-5 as it passes through the western part of the capital. The Madrid City Council has completed work on the outbound tunnel, following the completion of the inbound section on April 13. Thus, the underground civil engineering work is on schedule for its opening.
Work inside the tunnel will continue through August. During the summer, workers will install the bottom slab, the lining panels, the lighting systems, and the variable message signs. Subsequently, technicians will connect this new infrastructure to the M-30 tunnel on Avenida de Portugal, where they will integrate the ventilation, emergency exits, and security cameras. Once these tasks are completed, the testing phase will begin.
By the end of June, the structures for the Yébenes, Boadilla, and Batán intersections will be built. These slabs will facilitate pedestrian traffic and reduce noise pollution for residents. Later,in September, work will begin on the so-called Southwest Green Corridor over the current roadway. The city’s goal is for cars to travel on the lower level by the end of this year.
Urban Transformation in the Southwest
The project requires an investment of over 400 million euros and will cover an area of 100,000 square meters. The road’s covering will create a 3.2-kilometer-long ecological corridor.
This project will connect the neighborhoods of Lucero, Aluche, and Las Águilas with Campamento and Casa de Campo, areas that have been separated by the highway since 1968. The renovation will remove 90% of surface traffic, a figure equivalent to the 80,000 vehicles that travel through this access point every day. As a result, air pollution and noise levels will decrease proportionally on adjacent streets, directly improving air quality for the neighborhood.