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Madrid Turns On Pilot LED Lighting Along Manzanares River

City officials present the test as a low-impact, smart system with a weekend timetable through late summer.

Overview

  • The 560‑meter section at presa 6 between Puente Oblicuo and the Pasarela de Andorra was illuminated for the first time overnight with blue light for the Christmas launch.
  • The installation comprises 61 LED projectors integrated into a stone housing to blend into the landscape and limit upward emissions that contribute to skyglow.
  • A telegestion platform enables per‑fixture control of intensity and color, supporting dynamic, event‑driven displays designed for long‑throw architectural lighting.
  • Operation is limited to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays under a published seasonal schedule that shifts start times from 18:30 through January 29, 2026 to later evening slots from January 30, March 29, May 29 and August 28.
  • The pilot, led by the Urbanism, Environment and Mobility department, is promoted as beautifying and improving safety, while neighborhood and environmental groups object on ecological grounds and note their court case continues after precautionary measures were denied in July.