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Plans to extend the Guadalhorce highway, in Málaga, have finally taken a major step forward, with the Junta de Andalucía approving a €57 million tender for the long-awaited works. The new 4.2-kilometre section will link Casapalma and Cerralba, helping to relieve traffic pressure on the A-357 and improving access from the Guadalhorce Valley into Málaga.

 

The project, which has been on hold since 2010, will effectively revive a stretch of road abandoned over a decade ago. Although construction was originally approved 16 years ago, it never got off the ground, and the contract was later cancelled. Last year, the Junta de Andalucía restarted the process, updating the plans and submitting them for environmental review.

 

Once complete, the road will serve as an extension of the existing A-357 dual carriageway, which already connects Málaga to Casapalma. The new section will continue westward from the existing junction ramps in Casapalma and run parallel to the current road towards Cerralba. Most of the route follows the current alignment, with only a small deviation to cross the Rio Grande via a 250-metre viaduct.

 

From there, it will connect to a new roundabout in Pizarra, which will also serve as the future junction for the next phase between Cerralba and Zalea. That next stretch is still in the planning phase. The full build will include two lanes in each direction, a central reservation, and wide shoulders to accommodate high volumes of traffic.

 

Speaking after the announcement, Junta de Andalucía spokesperson Carolina España said: “This is a key highway for improving communication between the Guadalhorce Valley, the capital, and the Costa del Sol. It’s also part of the Ronda highway.”

 

Around 80,000 vehicles use the A-357 each day near Málaga, dropping to 25,000 beyond Casapalma. The road is an essential link for commuters from surrounding towns and villages, particularly those travelling from Antequera, Serranía de Ronda, and Guadalteba.

 

The work is expected to take around two years once it gets underway. Although it’s arriving later than originally hoped, the news has been widely welcomed as a vital step towards improving road infrastructure in the region.

 

 

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