Madrid City Council has begun installing 400 linear metres of vertical gardens on the M-30, at the height of the Ventas bridge. The project, which will cover 2,834 m² of grey walls, will continue until early 2027 and is being carried out at night to minimise traffic disruption.
The municipal company Calle 30 started placing a section of vertical gardens on the M-30 this morning, in the stretch between kilometres 5.9 and 6.3, next to the Ventas bridge. The work, which will extend until early 2027, is mainly being conducted at night to reduce the impact on traffic, according to sources from the Works and Equipment department.
The project includes the installation of 400 linear metres of vegetation that will cover 2,834 square metres of surface area, transforming the current concrete walls into a green facade. The cost of this work amounts to €5.3 million, which adds to the €70 million that the city council is investing in the major urban intervention in the area.
The vertical gardens will be located next to Parque Ventas, the landscaped slab that Madrid City Council has placed over the M-30 and which has become one of the priorities of José Luis Martínez-Almeida's government for this term. The vegetation will cover the sides of the access ramps that bridge the height difference between the M-30 and Alcalá street, as well as the abutments of the Ventas bridge.
The green space is situated in the section where Parque Ventas was initially planned, a transformation that ultimately proved unfeasible as it would have required the removal of the access ramps, which could have caused traffic issues in the area.
The vertical gardening system incorporates an automated irrigation mechanism using regenerated water from the Canal de Isabel II, optimised through telematic control. Additionally, a collector for excess runoff and a weather station will be installed to adjust irrigation based on climatic conditions.
The green facade will consist of modules capable of holding 36 plants, designed for semi-hydroponic cultivation and fixed to a metal structure that will ensure their stability. The system will include a main tank of 65,000 litres that will allow irrigation to be maintained for three days in case of supply failure. It will also have a sensor monitoring system to measure parameters such as substrate moisture, evaporation, or temperature, with centralised management.
The planting will include over thirty Mediterranean species selected for their drought resistance and flowering, adapted to different sunlight and orientation conditions. Beyond their ornamental value, these species will act as an active filter for pollutants, capable of capturing suspended particles and absorbing compounds such as hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.
Unlike the vertical gardens on Avenida de la Ilustración, in this case, it will not be necessary to install foldable panels, as the vegetation will be fixed to the existing prefabricated concrete module enclosure, accessible from the interior galleries.
The work will take place at night over the coming months, aiming to minimise traffic disruption on one of the busiest roads in the capital. Once completed, residents of the Ciudad Lineal district and drivers travelling along the M-30 will be able to enjoy a new green corridor that enhances the landscape integration of the road infrastructure.
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