The General Directorate of Traffic will launch from 3:00 PM this Thursday, April 30 the special device for May 1, an operation that will last until 12:00 AM on Sunday, May 3 and for which 6,040,000 long-distance road trips are expected.
The global figure is lower than in previous years, as May 2nd, a usual holiday in the Community of Madrid, falls on a Saturday this year and that reduces the holiday period in that territory. Even so, the daily forecast is around 1.5 million movements, a volume slightly higher than that registered in last year's campaign.
First delays since Thursday afternoon
Traffic expects that from the early afternoon hours of Thursday, significant movements and a high intensity of circulation will be registered in the direction of departure from large urban centers, as well as on the main access roads to coastal tourist areas, second homes, and mountain areas.
The most unfavorable stretch to be on the road will be between 3:00 PM and 11:00 PM. On Friday, May 1st, heavy outbound traffic will continue in the morning, both from large cities and on access roads to major destinations, with a particular impact on the coast and camping areas.
For Saturday, May 2, new weekend departures are forecast, although no significant traffic jams are expected. In the afternoon, the first return movements will begin, which will gain intensity towards Sunday.
Sunday with pressure on the return legs
The most delicate moment of the operation will arrive on Sunday, May 3. In the early afternoon, traffic problems are expected on the main road axes of the return. The foreseeable traffic jams will concentrate first on highways and motorways and will then move, progressively, towards the entrances of the main population centers.
During Sunday afternoon and evening, traffic management and regulation measures will be activated on roads in Andalusia, Valencian Community, Castilla la Mancha, Castilla y León, Madrid, and Murcia to facilitate vehicle entry into cities.
More controls and regulation measures
The DGT will deploy the maximum availability of its human resources. Agents from the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard, personnel from the management centers, the air media unit, and road maintenance and installation teams will participate in the operation.
Traffic control will be supported by all available technical means. Fixed and mobile speed radars will be used, in addition to helicopters, drones, and cameras to monitor the use of mobile phones while driving and seat belts.
Reversible and additional lanes marked with cones will also be installed during peak hours, with the intention of increasing the capacity of certain roads and better distributing traffic at points with the highest traffic load.
Stopped works and restrictions on trucks
The operation incorporates regulation, management, and surveillance measures to manage a shorter festive period than on other occasions, although with similar origins and destinations. Long-distance travel will also coincide with short trips to coastal and seaside tourist areas, especially in Andalusia and Levante, as well as mountain enclaves and second homes.
Traffic will propose alternative routes to alleviate circulation in the peninsular center, the area where greater pressure is foreseen. These routes are planned for both the direction with more intensity and the opposite, in order to prevent some drivers from being harmed by the regulation measures.
In parallel, road works will be halted to avoid congestion and improve the road safety of drivers and operators. The holding of sporting events and other events that involve road occupation will also be limited, and the circulation of trucks in general and vehicles carrying certain goods will be restricted on specific sections, dates, and times.
With this deployment, Traffic seeks to absorb a high volume of travel concentrated in a few days and reduce the impact of the expected traffic jams, especially on Thursday and Friday departures and Sunday return.