The general movement of traffic is expected to total 1,421,606 trips. According to the Government Delegation, the long distance traffic within the Valencian Community’s sphere of influence represents 13 percent of the national total during the December bridge operation.
The Valencian Community receives the majority of this aid, with tourist traffic coming from Madrid and nearby central peninsula provinces. Consequently, a dedicated traffic operation has been planned to begin at 3:00 pm on Tuesday and run through midnight on the following Sunday. The plan includes traffic regulation, management, and control measures to ensure safety and smooth flow.
The Government Delegation for the Valencian Community notes that the bridge period will see substantial vehicle movement for both long and short trips across the Spanish road network. These movements are likely to affect routes toward winter sports mountain areas and will also drive many other destinations to become tourist sites and second homes.
Avoid distractions
The government representative for the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, urges drivers to exercise extreme caution and to follow traffic rules. It is essential to avoid distractions, keep the phone on airplane mode, wear seat belts, and ensure minors are properly fastened in child restraint systems. Drivers should comply with posted speed limits and adjust speeds to current road conditions. Never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or impairing medications.
The General Directorate of Traffic, as it exits major urban centers, will implement the plan in two stages. The first stage, especially critical, runs from Tuesday the 5th through Wednesday the 6th to mark the start of the long weekend. The second stage covers Thursday the 7th and Friday the 8th, aligning with the holiday and weekend period.
On the return, attention will be strongest on Sunday, December 10, the final day of the long weekend. On other days within the same window, traffic will shift toward alternative exits and entrances in line with the operation and holiday patterns.
Traffic authorities identify the most challenging travel times as concentrated between 16:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday the 5th and Thursday the 7th; on Wednesday the 6th between 10:00 and 14:00; and on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00 and again from 16:00 to 21:00.
To minimize congestion in high-traffic areas, the DGT plans to maximize the use of available personnel, suspend road work where feasible, and restrict the movement of trucks in general, with additional restrictions for certain goods, on specified sections, dates, and times.
[Citation: Government Delegation of the Valencian Community]