Puente de Vallekas

Puente de Vallecas (bridge of Vallecas) originated as an 18th-century bridge over the Abroñigal stream, long defining the southeastern boundary of Madrid and marking the historical limit of the town of Vallecas. Although the original structure no longer exists, its role as a dividing line its still there. Today, the name is associated with the M-30 road bridge and surrounding overpasses, a major traffic corridor that continues to act as a physical and symbolic boundary between neighborhoods. The soundscape is dominated by continuous vehicle flow, with constant engine noise, low-frequency rumble, braking, and the reverberation of traffic beneath and under the bridge, but also with people coming out the Metro station and crossing from/to the city center. Air pollution and fine dust from vehicles are persistent features of the area, reinforcing the harsh environmental conditions created by this infrastructure. Current urban plans propose burying or covering sections of the M-30 to reduce noise and pollution and to reconnect spaces historically separated by the bridge, but also threatens to gentrify the working-class neighborhood already under housing pressure.