Traffic disruptions due to the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Madrid from June 6 to 9 will begin very significantly at midnight with the occupation of Plaza de Lima, so that only the roundabout will be passable and with certain limitations, the mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, reported yesterday. The traffic cuts due to the Pope’s visit will cause circulation problems for several days. Hence, last week Almeida recommended teleworking.
Read more Alicante cannot find a site for the La Albufereta Bonfire less than a month before the festival
The mayor detailed yesterday that the first occupations have already taken place on Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, as well as on the stretch that connects Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz with Nuevos Ministerios, but the most important disruptions will occur from this last midnight with “the total occupation of Plaza de Lima,” so that only the roundabout will be usable, albeit with certain limitations.
Thus, it will not be possible to go from General Perón northbound to Castellana or from Concha Espina southbound. From midnight, all central lanes of Plaza de Lima have been closed, as well as the occupation of the bus bay lanes in Plaza de Cibeles for the placement of structures necessary to celebrate the mass on June 6.
Work has already started
Specifically, both the work for the installation of the choir platform in Cibeles and the occupation of Plaza de Lima began last night at 00:00 hours to avoid modifying EMT bus routes.
Currently, two lanes on Paseo de Recoletos northbound are occupied in Cibeles. From midnight, the Cibeles bay area has been occupied for the installation of the choir platform.
In Plaza de Lima, the central roadway in both directions will be closed to traffic, allowing only circulation in the lanes surrounding the mentioned Plaza.
Due to the limited capacity of the area, the rings of the plaza will only allow North-South, South-North circulation and right turns from General Perón and Concha Espina streets.
Movements from General Perón to take Paseo de la Castellana northbound or from Concha Espina to take Paseo de la Castellana southbound will not be allowed. Crossings of the Plaza from General Perón to Concha Espina and vice versa will also not be permitted.
Read more Valencians without Rights
Some overreach in the occupations
Some disruptions have already been noticed in the city. “We are monitoring these disruptions very scrupulously because we have found that there has been some overreach in the occupation compared to what the City Council had authorized,” Almeida also reported.
The City Council has “immediately contacted the companies to tell them that they must strictly adhere to the public road occupations authorized by the City Council” because “there can be no overreach of any kind.”
From Cibeles, they have appealed to “the patience and generosity of the people of Madrid,” to ensure that they will be “very vigilant that all these occupations comply with the requirements given by the City Council.” In any case, Almeida made it clear that they do not give more importance to some “errors” by the contractors.
The mayor recalled that “from June 3 and 4, both Plaza de Lima (day 3) and Plaza de Cibeles (day 4) will be completely inaccessible to vehicles.”
The Book Fair will be affected
Asked about the concern of the Book Fair organizations, an event that coincides with the weekend of the Pope’s visit to Madrid, the mayor did not overlook that “it will be complicated,” especially as it coincides with the mass officiated by Leo XIV in Cibeles.
He also indicated that the City Council is in permanent contact with the organizers and makes itself available to analyze solutions they may provide. In any case, all accesses to Retiro and public transport will be open so that people can go to the Book Fair on Sunday, June 7, which is when it will be especially affected.
Also read
“I am sure that many people who come to mass will then stop by the Book Fair, such a traditional and meaningful event for the city, because it will be a very full morning,” he concluded.
Read more Reprimand from the Consell Jurídic to the Generalitat Valenciana’s ‘bous al carrer’ regulation
