Madrid’s A-5 tunnel is expected to open to drivers on December 23, according to Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida. The date would bring forward a substantial part of the project, whose original schedule pointed to completion in 2027, after more than two years of construction.
The tunnel will run for about three kilometres within a 3.2-kilometre stretch between Avenida de Portugal and Calle Padre Piquer. It will have two separate galleries, with three lanes in each direction. The lanes nearest the central reservation are planned as bus-VAO lanes, with variable signage allowing their use to be adjusted to traffic demand, according to reports cited in the source material.
Excavation of both tunnels was completed in May, and civil engineering work finished at the end of August. Crews are now working on linings, lighting, ventilation and finishing tasks. The City Council has put the investment in this first phase at €410 million.
Before traffic can use the tunnel, it must be connected to the M-30 tunnels beneath Avenida de Portugal. The work will require a complete closure of the A-5 in both directions and the removal of the remaining entrance and exit ramps. The council has not yet announced the closure dates. Almeida has warned that the disruption will be significant, while the city is seeking a period when the impact will be lower. Reports cited in the source material say closures are expected during the first weeks of December, but no official dates have been set.
The city is coordinating with the regional transport consortium, municipal bus operator EMT and local traffic and commuter-rail teams on measures for the works. Options include diverting some traffic to the M-40 and increasing EMT bus, Metro and interurban services. The council also plans to ask Renfe to boost service on commuter line C-5. Avenida de Portugal and nearby areas are expected to be particularly affected.
The tunnel opening will not complete the entire project. The Paseo Verde del Suroeste, a park planned for the surface above the road, is still to be built. A consortium of Sarrión, Cyopsa and Becsa submitted a bid of €56.57 million, before VAT, for that work, which has an 18-month execution period. Completion is expected in the first quarter of 2028.
According to Madrid Informa, the wider project is intended to recover more than 100,000 square metres and create a 3.2-kilometre corridor linking Madrid Río, Casa de Campo and Cuña Verde in Latina. Plans include 33 pedestrian crossings and a cycle lane of about 3.5 kilometres. The council aims to reduce surface traffic by up to 90% by moving much of the roughly 80,000 vehicles that use the corridor each day underground, while reconnecting neighbourhoods divided by the A-5 since 1968.
Sources: Xataka.