Rethinking the Ring Road: Space for a Rail Link to Llucmajor — Opportunity or Construction Nightmare?

Rethinking the Ring Road: Space for the Rail, but at What Cost?

On a warm morning, while buses heading to Son Ferriol toot along Avenida Gabriel Roca and pigeons flutter over the asphalt, you can feel the everyday tightness of this corner of Palma. The island council has revised the plans for the new ring road — Rethinking the Ring Road: Tunnel, Rail Alignment and the Question of Benefit for Palma: an 845-meter tunnel, new underpasses, separated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians — and above all space for a future rail connection to Llucmajor. For many that sounds like progress; the real question, however, is: does the design really deliver lasting benefits for the people on site, or will it turn the construction phase into a stress test?

Why Coll d'en Rabassa Becomes a Key Site

In the draft, Coll d'en Rabassa plays a central role. A stop with park-and-ride is planned there — not just a simple station, but a transfer point where commuters can leave their car and switch to the train. For commuters from Llucmajor and the southern towns this could significantly shorten the daily journey; for the Vía de Cintura, which in the morning often stalls like an old minibus, this would be a desperately needed relief, as explained in El Consell insular modifica los planes del nuevo anillo de autopista — el tren a Llucmajor queda contemplado.

But planning also means relocating: the section between the airport motorway and Son Ferriol will be adjusted to make room for tracks. That sounds technically elegant, but we must ask who will bear the short-term costs — noise, detours, and construction traffic.

The Risks Often Overlooked

In public debate the figure of around €110 million and the target of approval in autumn 2025 are quickly quoted. Less visible are issues such as possible archaeological finds, effects on groundwater and local small businesses that could lose customers during months of construction. The risk of induced traffic must also not be underestimated: new road sections can attract more car traffic in the short term if attractive alternatives like a reliable train are not offered at the same time, a point covered by El Consell modifica el plan del anillo de la autopista: espacio para un nuevo tren a Llucmajor.

Another, often quieter point: how will the rail actually be integrated into an urban mobility network later on? A station without good bus and cycle connections stays half empty. Planning must therefore consider interfaces early on — bike lockers, safe crossings, timetable coordination with city buses.

Concrete Opportunities and Practical Solutions

The technical adjustment is a good first step. But for the plan to become a tangible gain, I propose several measures that also offer opportunities:

Phased construction with clear communication: schedule construction phases to spare heavily burdened residential streets; create permanent information channels for residents with construction calendars and noise monitors.

Noise protection and working hours: modern noise barriers, strict bans on night work in residential areas and compact construction phases reduce the burden — and keep neighbours' nerves intact.

Financing mix and transparency: EU funds for sustainable mobility, regional funds and clear public commitments prevent a one-sided burden on municipal budgets. Public tenders should favour local firms to secure jobs on the island.

Integration instead of isolated operation: Park-and-ride in Coll d'en Rabassa must be linked to Palma city buses and cycling services. Integrated tickets, coordinated frequencies and secure cycle parking increase the chance that commuters will actually use the train.

What We Should Watch — and How to Measure Success

In the coming months there will be reports, environmental assessments and tenders. Three metrics should be monitored critically: the actual reduction in travel time between the airport and the city centre, the share of commuters switching from car to rail, and local air and noise pollution. Without these benchmarks the project remains paper theatre.

For residents like María from Son Ferriol, who organises her daily life between the smell of coffee and construction notices, the project is ambivalent: hope for less congestion, but concern for quality of life. A fair promise to the people here means: construction management, transparent distribution of costs and noticeable improvements in public transport even before all works are finished.

The next time you are stuck in traffic on the Vía de Cintura and engines rumble in the summer breeze, it's worth taking a look at the planning documents — Rethinking the Ring Road: Tunnel, Rail Alignment and the Question of Benefit for Palma — and talking to the municipal administration. In the end it will not be the tunnel that shapes the city, but the decisions we make now — quietly, between noise and espresso, between planning and reality.