The M-50 orbital motorway is the outermost ring road of Madrid and its metropolitan area. It has a length of and, unlike the other ring roads, doesn't form a closed ring, lacking a connection in the northwest between A-6 and A-1. It runs at an average distance of from the Puerta del Sol. It is the longest beltway in the Madrid region, and may be compared with London's M25 motorway and Berlin's A10 beltway.

It is managed by the central government. Its construction was financed using a shadow toll system, paid with the tolls collected from the motorways R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-5.El País. The companies running the toll motorways will pay the M-50

Nomenclature The M-50 name was chosen as the highway is theoretically the fifth ring road in Madrid.

The first ring is formed by the streets that follow the route of Felipe IV's wall of Madrid along the streets known as the Rondas (Ronda de Segovia, Ronda de Toledo, Ronda de Valencia, Ronda de Atocha) and the Bulevares (Génova, Sagasta, Carranza, Alberto Aguilera, Marqués de Urquijo) and the roads linking both.

The second ring is formed by the boundaries of Madrid's 19th Century Ensanche, following the proposed Paseo de Ronda.

Finally, the third and fourth rings are, respectively, M-30 and M-40.

History The highway was begun in 1990, one from the A-4 up to Getafe to M-409 at Fuenlabrada, this section was known with "Way of Culebro" for a nearby stream. This is the southern section of road. Another section was also built from Majadahonda to the A-6 at Las Rozas, as part of the highway M-503, to be subsequently incorporated into the M-50. Later, it was when it was extended from the A-4 to A-3 and then to the A-1 at San Sebastián de los Reyes and completing the section A-4-Majadahonda in 2002 .

Since the discovery in 2003 of a field of flint mines in Vicálvaro, work was stopped between the M-45 and A-3. After finally modifying the path slightly, on 26 June 2007 the section was completed between the A-3 and M-45 .

Regional politicians of the Autonomous Government of Madrid have considered ending the ring between the A-6 and A-1, passing under El Pardo by building a tunnel and toll highway, independent of M-50; but for now, the drafting and subsequent implementation of a project in this regard, remains the responsibility of the General Directorate of Roads of the Ministry of Development, being the road is in the State Highway Network.

Route Localities and main route of M-50: San Sebastián de los Reyes A-1 Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas R-2 Paracuellos de Jarama M-111 Ajalvir M-113 R-2 INTA M-115 Torrejón de Ardoz A-2 Coslada Autopista M-21 San Fernando de Henares M-206 Autopista M-45 R-3 Rivas-Vaciamadrid A-3 M-31 Perales del Río M-301 Pinto A-4 R-4 Getafe Autovía A-42 Leganés. Fuenlabrada M-409 Parque de Polvoranca M-407 Autopista de peaje R-5 Móstoles M-506 Alcorcón A-5 M-506 Villaviciosa de Odón Boadilla del Monte M-501 Majadahonda M-503 Las Rozas de Madrid M-505 A-6

Exits

Elemento Nombre de salida (sentido horario)/Ver de arriba-abajo Número de salida Nombre de salida (sentido antihorario)/Ver de abajo-arriba Carretera que enlaza Notas Madrid – Burgos Continúa por Madrid - Sentido Madrid - Sentido Paracuellos – Fuente el Saz de Jarama Paracuellos – Fuente el Saz de Jarama Guadalajara – Zaragoza Ajalvir – Daganzo de Arriba – Paracuellos Ajalvir – Daganzo de Arriba – Paracuellos Guadalajara – Zaragoza I.N.T.A – Torrejón de Ardoz Ajalvir – Daganzo de Arriba – Paracuellos Madrid – Zaragoza - Coslada – San Fernando de Henares – Torrejón de Ardoz Madrid – Zaragoza Coslada - Torrejon de Ardoz – Parque Empresarial – Zona Industrial – Coslada Salida por las calzadas laterales Torrejon de Ardoz – San Fernando de Henares Torrejon de Ardoz – San Fernando de Henares Salida por las calzadas laterales - Zaragoza – San Fernando de Henares – Torrejón de Ardoz Salida por las calzadas centrales - Valencia - Valencia Incorporación de dicha autovía Madrid – Valencia Madrid – Valencia Madrid – Valencia Madrid – Valencia Área de Servicio Valdemingómez - Área de Servicio Valdemingómez Madrid Todas las direcciones Túnel de Perales del Río 665 m Túnel de Perales del Río 665 m Perales del Río – San Martín de la Vega Perales del Río – San Martín de la Vega Madrid – Córdoba Área empresarial Andalucía C.L.A – Centro Comercial Madrid – Córdoba Aranjuez – Ocaña – Córdoba Aranjuez – Ocaña – Córdoba – Área empresarial Andalucía C.L.A.- Centro Comercial Getafe – Madrid – Toledo Getafe – Madrid – Toledo Vía de Servicio – Fuenlabrada – Getafe Vía de Servicio – Fuenlabrada – Getafe Leganés Leganés Fuenlabrada – Leganés Fuenlabrada Madrid Móstoles – Toledo – Badajoz Móstoles Leganés – Fuenlabrada Madrid – Toledo – Badajoz Móstoles Villaviciosa – Centro Comercial – Brunete Villaviciosa – Mostoles – Centro Comercial – Badajoz – Alcorcón – Madrid Área de Servicio La Atalaya - Área de Servicio La Atalaya Boadilla del Monte – Brunete – Villaviciosa Boadilla del Monte – Brunete – Villaviciosa Túnel de Valdepastores 800 m Túnel de Valdepastores 800 m Túnel de Boadilla 500 m Túnel de Boadilla 500 m Majadahonda – Villanueva de la Cañada – Pozuelo – Madrid Majadahonda – Boadilla del Monte – Villanueva de la Cañada – Pozuelo – Madrid Majadahonda – Villanueva del Pardillo – Centro Comercial Gran Plaza 2 Las Rozas – El Escorial Madrid – Parque empresarial Las Rozas – Centro de Ocio – Zona Comercial Villanueva del Pardillo – Las Rozas – El Escorial La Coruña Continúa por

References