Ready to go — but what does Palma's second ring road really mean for Coll d'en Rabassa?

Ready to go — but what does Palma's second ring road really mean for Coll d'en Rabassa?

Start 2026, €350 million, two construction phases: more comfort or new problems for residents?

Excavators are expected to roll in by the end of 2026 — at least that's the intention of the project promoters. On paper there's a large bill: around €350 million, divided into two consecutive sections. Phase one costs just under €90 million and is estimated at about two years and eight months. Phase two takes the lion's share of roughly €260 million and, according to the plan, lasts just over three years. A central element of the second phase is an approximately one-kilometre tunnel that would carry the planned Ma-30 beneath Coll d'en Rabassa.

My guiding question is: will this mammoth project really ease traffic in the long term — and at what price for the people who live here? This is not an abstract planning model, but everyday life in places like Carrer del Cardenal Rossell, where the route is to be moved westward to create distance from the houses. Or in Carrer Guasp, where a new overpass is to be built to provide space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Brief analysis: the project tries to solve two problems at once. On the one hand, part of the long-distance traffic that currently burdens the Ma-20 should be redirected to the new link — the Ma-20 is currently one of the country's busiest roads with an average of around 185,000 vehicles daily. On the other hand, local junctions, business areas and the FAN Mallorca shopping centre are to be better connected. Some measures sound sensible — widening the Ma-19 between km 4 and 7, new exits toward the industrial zone and Camí de Son Fangos, and preparations for a possible future railway stop to Llucmajor.

What is often underemphasised in the debate is the construction phase itself. Six years of building in two major sections mean noise, dust, detours and loss of business for local shops. The plan does mention drainage measures against flooding and reserves space for cycle paths, but concrete commitments are missing: what will the schedules for daily detours look like? Who pays for noise protection for the most affected houses? What compensation is there for businesses along the Ma-19?

A small picture from the neighbourhood: in the morning, the street noise is familiar — the roar of the Ma-20 mixes with the honking of small delivery vans in front of the supermarket, older neighbours hang laundry on the balconies of Carrer del Cardenal Rossell, children walk to the bus stop. Many welcome ideas that improve living quality. Yet the same people wonder whether an underground tunnel is just a promise until the construction work turns the district into a building site for years.

Concrete solutions can be proposed without falling into wishful thinking: first, there should be binding construction time windows and noise limits that also include sanctions. Second, provisional bypasses and clear routes for heavy goods traffic are necessary so that supply chains in industrial areas do not collapse. Third, the new boulevard above must not become a sterile expanse: the planned green spaces need ecological quality — native trees, sufficient shade and permeable soils for better infiltration.

I also recommend a transparent breakdown of costs for the public: who bears which investments, maintenance costs and possible additional expenses in case of delays? A publicly accessible construction calendar, regular meetings between the construction management and resident representatives, and independent monitoring of fine dust and noise would be simple measures to build trust.

For cycling, more is needed than the promise of new paths. Continuous, safe connections — for example between Son Ferriol and the Ma-13 — and the integration of the existing cycle path in the Levante industrial area must be prioritized in construction. Temporary cycle routes during the construction period and safe crossings at building sites are practical details that many planners like to overlook.

Finally, a question of mobility policy: a new ring changes traffic flows, but not automatically the number of cars. Those who want a lasting relief effect must simultaneously strengthen alternatives that replace car trips — bus services, the planned railway to Llucmajor, secure cycling corridors. Otherwise there is a risk that freed-up capacity will quickly fill up again.

Conclusion: the project can be compatible with the city or become a burden. The decisive factors are the details of implementation, communication and accompanying measures. Coll d'en Rabassa does not need mere lines on a map, but reliable commitments for noise protection, access during construction and real green quality above the tunnel. If the authorities heed this, the city will benefit; otherwise residents will be left with a large construction site for a long time.