The general traffic forecast for this weekend is for moderate to high congestion, particularly on main arterial routes leading out of major urban centres and towards popular coastal and leisure destinations, with a major national cycling event and several significant regional festivals taking place.

Traffic is expected to be heavy from the early afternoon as people begin their weekend getaways. The A-3 in Madrid, the AP-7 along the Mediterranean coast, and the A-4 leading out of Seville are all likely to experience significant outbound traffic.

In Barcelona, the start of the “Extreme Barcelona” urban sports festival at the Parc del Fòrum will impact local roads in the vicinity, including the B-10 (Ronda Litoral). Drivers should anticipate delays and seek alternative routes if possible.

There may also be some localised congestion in Aranjuez, near Madrid, due to the Fiestas del Motín festival. The DGT advises a slow and cautious approach on all routes, particularly on single-carriageway roads.

The morning will see continued heavy traffic leaving urban areas, particularly between 9:00 and 13:00. The primary cause will be the final wave of summer holidaymakers heading to the coast and the usual short-distance weekend trips.

Of particular note is stage 14 of “La Vuelta”, the Spanish road cycling race, which will be taking place between Villafranca del Bierzo and Villablino. This will cause rolling road closures and significant diversions on local roads in the province of León and potentially in surrounding areas. The DGT recommends checking the official race route and planning journeys well in advance to avoid being caught in the closures.

In addition, the Grape Harvest Festival in Jerez de la Frontera, and the start of the “Cascamorras” festival in Guadix, near Granada, will cause localised congestion on roads approaching these towns.

As is typical for a Sunday, the late afternoon and evening will be the busiest period, as people return from their weekend breaks. From approximately 17:00 until late, the main motorways leading back into cities like Madrid (A-6, A-5), Barcelona (AP-2, A-2), and Valencia (AP-7) are expected to be extremely congested.

In Barcelona, traffic on the B-10 is expected to be particularly heavy due to the final day of the “Extreme Barcelona” festival. Drivers should allow for significantly extended travel times and consider delaying their return journey if feasible to avoid the peak rush.

“La Vuelta” cycling race will be holding a stage in León, so drivers should also be aware of potential road closures and diversions in this area.

Looking ahead to next week, traffic is expected to return to more typical levels after the weekend rush. However, the DGT highlights that the last remaining stages of “La Vuelta” will continue to cause rolling road closures and diversions, particularly on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, in the northern and western provinces. Drivers should check local DGT and police reports for specific details regarding the race route.

Additionally, Monday, 8th September, is a regional holiday for Asturias and Extremadura, which will likely lead to some localised congestion and heavier-than-usual weekday traffic on main routes in and out of those regions.

The post Summer Traffic Easing but Still Busy on the Roads first appeared on N332 Travel Updates.