New roundabout at university entrance to improve safety

More safety for the campus: a roundabout is coming

Good news for everyone who commutes to the university daily: the Island Council and the University of the Balearic Islands have agreed to build a brand-new roundabout at the main entrance to the campus on the road to Valldemossa. The project is intended primarily to reduce risky left turns and calm traffic at this heavily used spot.

What exactly is planned?

The plan is for a compact roundabout directly at the access point, including clearly marked lanes, pedestrian crossings and improved signage. Construction costs are around €850,000. If everything goes according to plan, groundworks could begin as early as early 2026. On inquiry it was said the current phase is mainly coordination between technical checks and traffic simulations.

Why is this important?

The stretch is used daily by an estimated 40,000 vehicles — students, buses, delivery vans and commuters. Especially during morning and afternoon peak hours dangerous situations arise when drivers wait to enter the campus or want to turn left. A roundabout often prevents frequent stopping and reduces conflicts between directions. In short: less stop-and-go, fewer accidents.

I spoke with a few students on campus. Marta, a library staff member, half-laughed: “Finally not five minutes of traffic just to get onto campus.” Another student who cycles every day hopes for safer crossings for bikes.

Impact during construction

Construction work always brings inconveniences. Those responsible say the work will be scheduled to interfere as little as possible with lecture times — for example during holiday periods or with temporary traffic lights to regulate flows. Nevertheless, local congestion is to be expected. Regular users of the road to Valldemossa should prepare for detours or changed bus schedules.

Looking ahead

In the long term the roundabout should help ease the traffic situation. In addition to vehicle safety, pedestrians and cyclists will benefit when crossings and signals are adjusted. There is still work to be done before completion: detailed planning, tenders and final approval remain.

For the neighborhood the project is a small but visible sign that infrastructure and safety are being invested in — and that is not a given on an island with heavy traffic but little space. I will keep following the story and report back as soon as the diggers move in.