Traffic jams at the exit of Barcelona and on the AP-7 during the Easter getaway operation
On both lanes an accident has forced the closure of a lane and has caused traffic jams to accumulate
BarcelonaThe first phase of the Easter getaway operation is causing the first traffic jams on Saturday morning and since Friday afternoon on the exits from Barcelona and on the main arteries of the country. The most affected routes are the Ronda de Dalt and the AP-7. In both cases, on Friday afternoon an accident forced part of the road to be closed, which led to vehicles accumulating on the same day that the Easter school holidays begin.
The point with the most complications this Saturday morning is the AP-7 motorway between La Roca del Vallès and Mollet del Vallès. Up to eight kilometers of traffic jams have accumulated. During the morning, traffic jams were also recorded in the Túnel del Cadí, and to a lesser extent on the A-2 in Cornellà, on the AP-7 in Martorell, and on the C-58 in Montcada.
From Friday midday until nine in the evening, 278,000 vehicles left the metropolitan area, and this Saturday at 12 noon, a total of 474,000 had already done so. According to the forecasts of the Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT), this represents 81.8% of the 580,000 vehicles that will leave the city by 2 PM.
During Friday afternoon, on the Ronda de Dalt, queues reached 10 kilometers in the direction of Trinitat, between Esplugues de Llobregat and Valldaura. On this same road, a lane had to be closed in Les Corts in the direction of Llobregat due to an accident, which caused nine kilometers of slow traffic and stops, up to Valldaura.
On the AP-7, an accident has forced the closure of one lane and has left seven kilometers of traffic jams and stops between Subirats and Gelida towards Barcelona. The kilometer-long queues have persisted once all lanes were reopened.
At the same point on the same highway, towards Tarragona, up to 7 kilometers of congestion have been created, which has indirectly affected the A-2 at the height of Martorell.
During this first phase of the departure operation, freight transport trucks over 7.5 tons circulating on the AP-7 are obliged to use the right lane and are prohibited from overtaking on the stretch from Sant Celoni to Vilafranca del Penedès. During these days, a special traffic device will deploy additional lanes on the AP-7 and C-32, and there will be six more speed cameras than last year to control speeding and distractions.
Return and second departure
After this first departure operation, Trànsit expects a first return this Sunday, with an estimate of 240,000 vehicles entering Barcelona.
The second part of the departure operation is planned between Maundy Thursday, April 2, and the following day, Good Friday. In this second phase of the departure operation, 560,000 vehicles are expected to leave the Catalan capital.
The mobility forecasts for this Easter conclude with a final return operation, staggered between Sunday, April 5, and Easter Monday, the 6th. During these two days, about 590,000 vehicles will return to Barcelona.
