New road access and parking facilities will help you avoid traffic congestion at Plaza Mayor

Following confirmation that the owner of the Plaza Mayor Shopping Centre has funded significant infrastructure improvements, chronic daily traffic congestion is set to disappear.

The project to double the access lane on the MA-20 Ronda Oeste in the direction Malaga was published in the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Malaga (BOP). Plaza Mayor, as part of their long-awaited expansion plan, has presented and funded a plan to widen the slip road by adding two additional lanes, well ahead of the intersection. It will replicate improvements made on the southern end and be designed to minimize the frequent traffic bottlenecks in the area between km points 1+500-3+600.

Only awaiting local approval

This week the proposal entered a phase of public information. A 20-working day window was opened for submissions in contra, starting on January 21. Once approved, this will result in a two-lane configuration for the northern side. This will help to ease the flow of vehicles towards the popular shopping centre and outlet complex.

The planned upgrades are part of an overall effort to address the mobility issues that have been stalled. Plaza Mayor’s expansion For over four years. The project aims to add 14,000 square meters to McArthurGlen designer outlet towards the east as well as 7,500 square metres of existing Plaza Mayor Shopping toward the west using a part of the adjacent parking near the Guadalmar Motorway.

Residents in the Guadalmar district have expressed strong opposition during previous consultations. They argued that further commercial development would worsen traffic. Malaga Council’s Mobility Department also has not supported the expansion unless additional remedial actions are taken.

Plaza Mayor owners fed up of waiting – paying for upgrades alone

In response, Plaza Mayor‘s owners have committed a large amount of resources, including a 2021 agreement with the Ayuntamiento. One of the main proposals is to fully fund a new park and ride facility, with room for 1,100 cars. This dissuasive car park would encourage drivers to leave their cars there and use the nearby Cercanias train line to reach central Málaga, helping avoid Low Emissions Zone fines in the city centre.

This combination of measures, including road widening, alternative parking, and park and ride incentives, represents a massive push towards resolving traffic issues which have been preventing daily commutes as well the commercial site’s ambitions to grow.