The works on the , in the heart of Madrid, will begin this Monday and will cause the cutting of one lane in each direction of Alcalá Street in that section. The vice mayor of Madrid, Inma Sanz, explained on Friday that they are going to “cut one lane in each direction” in order to “facilitate the expansion of the sidewalks” and to “build the median” that will win.
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, also spoke about this work in statements after an event on Friday. He stated that he is “enormously comforted” that the project has the “approval of the Civic and Social Council, where all heritage protection organizations are represented” as well as the “congratulations of UNESCO” which “supervises” all these projects for being in the Landscape of Light.
“It also allows us to reflect on other interventions in this area, which we will necessarily have to undertake to further dignify such a privileged space in the city of Madrid, such as it is of which we feel so proud,” said Almeida. He added that “over the last few years, more than 3,000 million euros have been invested” in “public space, in facilities in the city of Madrid” and in the “improvement of neighborhoods.”
The works
The project involves an investment of 6.1 million euros. The most important part will be completed at the beginning of 2027. The cutting of the two lanes coincides with a moment in which the occupation by the Delicias works is no longer so relevant and the works on Calle 30 in Ventas do not represent a reduction in the capacity of the road. Circumstances different from those in October, when the start of these works was expected.
As explained by the delegate of Works and Equipment, Paloma García Romero, when she presented the project, “an agreement has been reached so that the greatest traffic problems come in the summer “when there is less traffic.” The delegate pointed out that, according to the mobility study carried out, the cuts on Alcalá Street “are not going to excessively affect traffic” and defended that even if there are problems, the result will be a “pride” for Madrid. The objective of the Consistory is to “do the works but annoy the Madrid residents as little as possible.”
The project includes a section made up of two lanes plus a bus lane in each direction, a 3.8 meter wide central promenade and a segregated bike lane on the south side. The space gained by the reduction of the current lanes will make it possible to substantially expand the north sidewalk, which supports the greater pedestrian intensity of the street, and recover the double alignment of historical trees with the planting of 57 new large trees, one of the essential values of this axis that had been lost. Likewise, strips with shrub plantations will be placed on both sidewalks and on the central walk.
The intervention involves the renewal of the entire pavement, which will be composed of granite slab and paving stones, and the asphalt of the road will be renewed. Public lighting will also be replaced with a streetlight model appropriate to the heritage environment, executed on the historical design used on Alcalá Street, but with highly energy efficient LED technology. Added to this will be the renovation and expansion of street furniture and the reorganization of the spaces intended for terraces for dining tables.
Goals
The objective of the action is the recovery of the historical layout of the street and the enhancement of the Puerta de Alcalá through the creation of a central promenade that will allow Madrid residents and visitors to have a better perspective of one of the main heritage elements of the Landscape of Light. Furthermore, the new configuration of the street will allow citizens to pass through the monument, which will partly recover its status as a gateway to the city.
The remodeling will involve the visual and functional integration of the Puerta de Alcalá, reducing its character as an isolated monument in a roundabout and bringing it closer to the citizens. In this sense, the garden will be remodeled to recover one of the layouts from the late 19th century that will allow pedestrian permeability that connects Alcalá Street with the triangular configuration area, currently used as a contemplation space. To achieve this objective, a new pedestrian crossing will be created in the western part of the square, in addition to adapting the existing crossing in the east. In addition, a study of the monument’s lighting will be carried out, modifying the location of the light points and improving the projectors.
Sidewalks and surroundings
The project will maintain most of the current paving of the plaza’s sidewalks executed in 2009, improving accessibility with new routes to pedestrian crossings and public transport stops to adapt them to universal accessibility regulations. Likewise, one lane will be reduced to generate a segregated bike lane that connects Alcalá Street with Serrano Street, also giving access to Retiro Park. The action in the square will be completed with the renovation and expansion of the street furniture, the paving of the entire road in the square and the redistribution of public transport, increasing positions and generating islands for the placement of the canopies.
On Alfonso The pavements will follow the same criteria as those on Alcalá Street, adapting their dimensions in relation to the scale of the street. As for Pedro Muñoz Seca street, action will only be taken to adapt the mouth to the new configuration of Alcalá street.
