In recent years, traffic in Spain’s major cities has increased significantly, raising concerns among authorities responsible for road safety. To combat congestion and improve traffic flow, various measures are already being implemented in some regions, and now a new experimental project has been launched.
The Ministry of Transport, together with the Dirección General de Tráfico, has begun testing the temporary use of road shoulders on congested stretches. This measure is designed to ease traffic during peak periods, when the number of vehicles on the roads rises sharply.
The pilot project is being carried out on a section of the AP-4 highway between kilometers 41.12 and 44.5, near Las Cabezas de San Juan, heading towards Cádiz. Here, the shoulder will be open to traffic during peak hours, particularly for vehicles traveling to Lebrija, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and Trebujena.
The main goal of the initiative is to increase the road’s capacity and improve safety, especially during the summer months when travel volume rises. Similar methods are already used in a number of European countries, such as Germany, where allowing traffic on the shoulder can boost capacity by up to 25% without compromising safety.
Preparatory work is underway in Spain to adapt road infrastructure and ensure traffic safety on shoulders for the implementation of this measure. If the trials are successful, similar solutions may be rolled out to other regions of the country in the coming months.
