€103.7 Million Project to Ease Guadalajara Traffic Approved

The Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has provisionally approved the informational study for a new variant of the N-320 road, a project estimated to cost €103.7 million. The initiative aims to address chronic traffic congestion, particularly at the critical Cuatro Caminos intersection in Guadalajara, a bottleneck that has long awaited a solution.

Project Details

The approved study outlines three primary construction phases. The core of the project is a 6.6-kilometer variant of the N-320, which will connect the existing N-320 at kilometer 269.480 to the Cabanillas del Campo interchange with the A-2 motorway. This route was selected from four alternatives due to its relative brevity.

In addition to the main variant, the project includes the widening of a 5.6-kilometer section of the N-320 between kilometers 290.02 and 295.68, transforming it into a dual carriageway. A third component involves a new eastern connection, a conventional road linking the Fuente la Niña interchange on the A-2 with the existing interchange between the N-320 and N-320A. Several new interchanges and the remodeling of existing ones, including the intersection of the new variant with the N-320 and a semi-interchange with the CM-2004, are also part of the plan.

Addressing Cuatro Caminos Congestion

The Cuatro Caminos roundabout is a well-documented traffic black spot in Guadalajara. According to the City Council, it is one of the most critical points for traffic in the entire city. When the study was first presented in March 2023, it was projected that the N-320 related works, including new southern and eastern ring roads, could reduce traffic pressure on this junction by up to 50%. While the new variant will not solely resolve the Cuatro Caminos issue, it is expected to divert a significant portion of through traffic, thereby alleviating pressure on the intersection.

Criticism and Further Steps

Despite the provisional approval, the project has faced criticism from local authorities. Alfonso Esteban, the second deputy mayor of Guadalajara, has urged the government to expedite the process, noting that the same study was put out for public information in February 2023, with a commitment to final approval within that year. Esteban expressed frustration, stating, “Three years later, the only known novelty is the provisional approval of the aforementioned document; three years have been lost.”

He emphasized that this provisional approval does not signify the start of construction. Several administrative hurdles remain, including a new public information period, an Environmental Impact Assessment, final approval of the study, the drafting of the construction project, and securing the necessary budget.

A Separate Debate: Cuatro Caminos’ Future

The City Council maintains that the N-320 variant and a definitive solution for Cuatro Caminos are related but distinct issues. In November 2024, the council communicated to the State Road Authority that a permanent solution for the intersection would likely involve the complete or partial tunneling of traffic, with any other intervention being considered provisional.

Esteban also explained that a proposed system of elevated pedestrian walkways was discarded due to a lack of consensus among involved institutions, citing accessibility and safety concerns. As a provisional measure, the Directorate-General for Traffic had suggested installing traffic lights at pedestrian crossings and implementing accessibility improvements.

Key Facts

This development is relevant to AI News readers as it highlights the application of infrastructure planning and traffic management solutions, often informed by data analysis and potentially future automation in transportation networks. While this specific project focuses on traditional infrastructure, it represents a significant investment in optimizing public transit flow, a problem domain where AI and automation are increasingly being explored.

Source: Xataka, https://www.xataka.com/movilidad/103-7-millones-euros-para-descongestionar-guadalajara-asi-variante-n-320-que-promete-cambiar-cuatro-caminos