Night works start on Malaga’s busy A-357 road after regional investment

It’s no good waiting for the Ministry of Transport to do anything. The Andalucian regional government has started surface renewal works on the A-357 motorway, one of the main routes into Malaga, to finally get rid of the plague of potholes and cracks endangering drivers and motorbike riders every day. With a €3 million outlay, actions cover ten kilometres of this road in both directions, towards Malaga and Campillos, under the regional asphalting programme for autonomous roads. Unlike many main roads in the area, this is not under the control of the central government’s Ministry of Transport and therefore is being paid for by the regional government, the Junta de Andalucia, directly.

Works began this week on the carriageway heading to Campillos, specifically the section between Malaga city and the Malaga Tech Park. High daily traffic volumes averaging around 74,000 vehicles have forced planners to schedule all activity at night. This choice limits disruption for drivers while teams carry out the upgrades in reasonable temperatures for the workers.

Temporary lane reductions apply during construction so workers stay safe and traffic keeps moving on one of Andalucia’s busiest corridors. Regional minister for public works and mobility Mario Muñoz-Atanet explained that this stretch was selected first because the A-357 ranks among the highest-traffic accesses across the whole of Andalucia, not only Malaga province. Funding will raise road condition standards, safety, and user comfort.

Additional mobility projects already under way

These surface works join recent mobility schemes on the same corridor. One completed scheme delivered a new BUS-VAO lane for entry into Malaga either by bus, taxi, or cars with more than one occupant, at a cost of €8.5 million. Another project has started converting a further section of the A-357 between Casapalma and Cerralba into full motorway standard, backed by €51 million.

The wider regional asphalting programme totals €151.5 million across Andalucia, of which €17.5 million is earmarked for Malaga province alone.

Surface and safety improvements rid potholes

Tasks include repairing worn pavement areas, milling and replacing the surface layer, strengthening lower road courses, laying new bituminous mixes, sealing the pavement, renewing horizontal road markings, and replacing safety barriers plus beaconing.

Importance of the A-357 corridor

Known as the Campillos to Malaga road via the Guadalhorce Valley, the A-357 runs for 69 kilometres and links many inland Malaga villages with the city and coast. Its alignment starts near Campillos, passes the Guadalhorce reservoir area, continues through the Hoya de Malaga and the lower Guadalhorce Valley, then joins the A-7.

Surface renewal forms part of a broader package of measures that strengthen this essential link used daily by thousands of drivers and that improves connections between the provincial interior and the Malaga metropolitan area.