Madeira’s main expressway carried an average of 40,500 vehicles a day between January and September 2026, while the main roads recorded a daily average of 8,200 vehicles.
Figures released by the Regional Directorate of Roads (DRE) on Wednesday, the 28th of October, show year-on-year increases of 1.4% and 2.1%, respectively.
Over the first nine months of the year, total traffic increased by 1.4% on the main expressway and 2.6% on the main roads. Growth was driven mainly by light vehicles, with traffic rising by 1.4% and 2.6%, respectively. Heavy vehicle traffic also increased, rising by 1.8% on the main expressway and 2.1% on the primary roads.
However, heavy vehicles accounted for just 2.2% of traffic on the main expressway and 2% on main roads, limiting their influence on the overall figures.
Growth slowed during the third quarter. Between July and September, weighted average traffic remained unchanged on the main expressway and increased by 0.7% on the arterial roads compared with the same period in 2025.
This compares with second-quarter increases of 1.7% and 2.6%, respectively, indicating slower traffic growth across both road networks.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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