Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
The Junta de Andalucía has launched a €10.2 million project for the long-awaited expansion of the access road to Alhaurín de la Torre, a major infrastructure project which is hoped will ease chronic traffic congestion in one of Malaga’s fastest-growing satellite towns.
The plan will upgrade a 2.2 kilometre stretch of road along the A404 from the El Encuentro Roundabout to the junction with A-7052 by adding two separate lanes for buses and high occupancy vehicles (BUS-VAO), one in each directions, that only allows vehicles with at least two people inside.
The highly demanded project in Alhaurín de la Torre has entered its pre-execution phase after years of administrative back and forth, including land expropriations and environmental authorisations finalised in July 2024. According to Rocío Díaz, Andalusia’s Minister of Development, the total investment amounts to more than €10,200,000, with €8.8 million allocated for the construction itself. The project also includes costs for land expropriation, heritage conservation, and technical assistance. These are covered by the Andalusian Fed 2021-2027 programme which promotes public transportation through reserved bus lanes.
Addressing growing traffic demands
The A-404, a seven-kilometre single-lane road connecting Alhaurín de la Torre to the A-7 motorway, has been a daily trauma for commuters caused by traffic jams since the link opened in 2011. The exponential growth of Alhaurín de la Torre and surrounding Greater Malaga municipalities has exacerbated the issue, with over 26,000 vehicles using the road daily. The solution involves duplicating the roadway with two BUS-VAO lanes over the 2.2-kilometre stretch, and it will be designed for a speed of up to 80 km/h. The expansion will be placed on the north side due to the urban sprawl of Alhaurín de la Torre on the south side.
Construction is expected to commence in 2026, so be patient Alhaurín de la Torre, as that will bring even more jams at first.
