The DGT Warns: These Roadworks Will Cause Traffic Jams Throughout the Summer

With the arrival of summer, the roads of the Community of Madrid are gearing up for a wave of improvement works. The Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) has announced significant disruptions on key routes such as the M-50, A-42, and M-607, while launching an intensive monitoring campaign in construction zones, enhanced with new technologies to ensure safety.

The M-50 will undergo an "intensive tune-up." The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility (MITMOS), through Seitt, will continue rehabilitation and resurfacing work throughout the summer between kilometers 55 and 46.

This will be accompanied by the waterproofing of structures over the Jarama and Manzanares rivers, which will involve closures and diversions at various points along the motorway.

In addition to the M-50, other routes will also experience interruptions. The extension of the access branch from the M-40 (km 20.5 increasing) to the A-4 (Orcasur) will take place during July and August. Meanwhile, the A-42 will see its right lane affected in the increasing direction between kilometers 7.6 and 8.2 due to Canal de Isabel II works, from July 7 to 28. These are in addition to ongoing works for the construction of the third lane on the M-607, between Tres Cantos and Colmenar Viejo.

The DGT justifies the choice of summer for these works due to lower traffic density, aiming to minimize inconvenience to users. Closures, alternative routes, and possible delays will be communicated via variable message boards, radio stations, televisions, Twitter accounts (@InformacionDGT and @DGTes), and the phone number 011.

Alongside the planning of works, the Provincial Traffic Headquarters of Madrid and the Road Demarcation Headquarters of MITMOS have launched a new monitoring and control campaign focused on interurban construction zones. This campaign aims to reduce risky behaviors – such as inappropriate speed, distractions, and prohibited overtaking – that cause accidents.

In 2024, there were 142 accidents related to maintenance and conservation works, 23 of which directly affected workers on the road. "Most accidents in road maintenance works are run-overs, most of which are caused by vehicles unrelated to the work itself and occur while signaling these works. Additionally, the most influential factor in these types of accidents is speed," explained Cristóbal Cremades, Provincial Traffic Chief of Madrid.

One of the major innovations presented is the use of "connected cones." These devices, which are geolocated and emit flashing lights when activated, will allow construction companies to automatically generate a traffic incident at the DGT Traffic Management Centre.

This information will be shared in real-time through the DGT 3.0 Platform and the National Access Point, allowing drivers to receive warnings about the proximity of works via road light panels and, in the future, directly in their connected vehicles. This initiative aims to significantly improve the safety of both workers and drivers by providing early and accurate information.

Each year, nearly 23,000 roadworks are carried out on Spanish roads, generating thousands of incidents that require precise signaling. The DGT emphasizes that signaling in construction zones not only organizes traffic but also protects workers, with its correct placement and advance warning to drivers being crucial to preventing accidents.