A new step forward to increase pedestrian access and reduce car traffic on the Meridiana

BarcelonaBarcelona City Council has taken a new step forward to transform the Meridiana into an avenue with fewer cars and more pedestrians. This Thursday, the project began. A new phase of construction on the Barcelona artery, specifically between Calle Felip II and Paseo de Fabra i Puig. The objective is to continue with the renovations carried out so far, which eliminate one lane on both sides. As with the rest of the renovated avenue (work on the final section is already complete), general traffic will have two lanes per side and buses one. Bicycles will gain prominence and have a segregated center lane for their use. In addition, vegetation will be added to the sidewalks—up to 7,200 square meters of flowerbeds—275 new trees will be planted, and more pedestrian crossings will be added.

The work on this section will last 18 months and have a budget of €26 million. Specifically, the preliminary phase of the work began this Thursday, which seeks to adapt traffic to the affected area. This means that the intercity bus stops in this affected area will be relocated. However, it won't be until April 28th that the works will begin, and also that bus traffic will change.

The Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning, Laia Bonet, has argued that the transformation of the avenue is transforming it from an "urban highway" to a "civic and citizen axis," as it will mean a reduction of "more than 19,000 vehicles per day." In this sense, the Deputy Mayor is committed to a "much more user-friendly" design for the avenue. The works carried out so far on the road have reduced traffic by approximately 19,400 vehicles per day, according to City Council data. The works from Plaça de les Glòries to Fabra i Puig cover 2.87 kilometers of the avenue and more than 163,300 square meters of surface area. Once the phase of the works up to Fabra y Puig is completed, almost three kilometers of Meridiana Avenue will have been covered, with a total investment to date of nearly €56 million, part of which comes from European Next Generation funds.

Effects of the works

In the preliminary phase of the works, two U-turns will be implemented. On one hand, Olesa Street, between Garcilaso and Cienfuegos Streets, will change from the Besòs direction to the Llobregat direction. Juan de Garay Street, between Felipe II and Garcilaso Streets, will also be converted into a two-way street to facilitate bus service changes. These two changes will take place on the night of April 24th to 25th. During the preliminary phase, the central markers occupying the median strip of the avenue will also be removed so that traffic lanes can be opened starting April 28th in this central area, and the redevelopment work can be carried out on the right-hand lanes adjacent to the sidewalk. The removal of the markers will occupy the left lane in each direction.

In addition to the closure of Olesa Street, the work will also require the closure of Cardenal Tedeschini Street, with detours along Felipe II, Jorge de San Jorge, Cienfuegos, and Emilia Pardo Bazán streets. The closure of Antillas Street will also include detours along Dublin, Torroella de Montgrí, Pegaso, Pacífico, Jambrina, and Antillas streets. The closures along Olesa and Cardenal Tedeschini streets will be carried out on the night of April 27-28, and the closure along Antillas Street will be carried out on the night of April 28-29.

Damage to buses

The works will involve redistributing intercity bus stops outside the scope of the project, with the exception of a new stop in La Sagrera. The new stop layout will be located both within La Sagrera, where most lines are concentrated, and at the Clot-Aragó and Fabra i Puig stations, thus maintaining connections to both the metro and commuter rail networks. In parallel to the works, work is underway on a temporary 950-meter two-way bike lane on Calle Concepción Arenal, between Calle Felip II and Passeig de Fabra i Puig, to divert the current bike lane. The new infrastructure is expected to be completed during May. Until this happens, the current routes along the Meridiana will be maintained.

Bonet also stressed that work is already underway on planning the third phase of the avenue's transformation, with the intention of completing the preliminary project from Fabra i Puig to the Pont de Sarajevo during this term and carrying out preliminary studies for the rest of Meridiana as far as Vallbona.