Green light for long-awaited northern access road to Málaga Airport

After nearly a year and a half of waiting, the project for the northern access to the airport—one of the last major road infrastructures still pending execution in the province of Málaga—is finally being taken out of the drawer where it had been kept, awaiting environmental approval. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition has now given it that approval.

The project includes the construction of a new 1.7-kilometre-long connection branch, approximately, from the western ring road of Málaga to a dual carriageway already built within the airport grounds. The new link features two carriageways in each direction with two lanes each, measuring 3.5 metres in width. It will allow a top speed of 80km/h.

The final decision was made on 6 May. According to the final report, one of the actions to be undertaken as part of this project is the continuation of the channelling of the Bienquerido stream from the start of the A-7 connection branch to the airport up to the municipal boundary between Málaga and Alhaurín de la Torre, involving a specific modification of 400 metres.

New roundabout

Furthermore, the current western ring road of Málaga will need to be remodelled and turned into an elliptical roundabout, with its major axis, approximately 270 metres long, aligned with the A-7 motorway. The roundabout’s three lanes will be 4 metres wide. A direct link from the A-7 airport access branch to the overpass (E-2) is also planned to cross the western metropolitan distributor road.

The single 4-metre wide lane will be used. Finaly, the project will include the duplication and extension of the A-7 branch connecting to regional roads A-7052 & A-404 as well as adding a third lane on the roundabout in Churriana.

The modification of the Bienquerido Stream’s channel is expected to directly impact 5,244 square meters of land that are currently used for the cultivation of citrus. A total of 130 palms trees near the existing channel are also affected. The proposal proposes to transplant all palm trees affected in nearby areas that are within the scope of the project.