Shortcuts that clog Santa Cristina de Aro with cars returning from the Costa Brava have been deactivated.

GironaOn return service days, after a long weekend or a holiday period, the C-31 highway, known as the coastal axis, accumulates long traffic jams with thousands of vehicles traveling towards Barcelona or Girona from the Baix Empordà region, especially from the towns of Palafrugell, Calella, Palamós, and Platja d'Aro. To avoid these queues, many drivers, following the alternative routes suggested by Google Maps, opt to exit this highway near Platja d'Aro and take a shortcut along the inland roads that pass through Castell and Santa Cristina d'Aro, until they rejoin the C-31 further downstream. This practice, in turn, has ended up causing significant traffic problems within the municipalities, with traffic jams on narrow streets poorly equipped to handle this volume of traffic, which has completely disrupted the normal life of residents.

This is why the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) and the Santa Cristina d'Aro City Council have agreed to control access to the C-31 for non-residents during the days of highest traffic concentration. For the time being, following an emergency meeting, both administrations have agreed to close the entrance to the C-31 at Bell-lloc, so drivers exiting to Platja d'Aro will see a lighted panel warning them that they cannot rejoin the road further ahead. This is intended to prevent the illegal traffic that was clogging up the small towns in the interior of the Gavarres, leaving secondary roads free for vehicles actually heading to the affected towns. "The goal is to prevent cars from entering the town, so we'll implement more aggressive filtering at exit 314, with more equipment, information, and a greater presence because these drivers will find they won't be able to leave Bell-lloc," said Ramon Lamiel, director of the SCT (Spanish Transport Ministry). He also explained that traffic data from car navigators will be monitored to ensure they don't offer access through Santa Cristina as an alternative route.

Traffic jams, cars lost in residential areas, confusion, and violations

Regarding the queues, the mayor of Santa Cristina, Josep Xifre, argues: "Traffic jams on the C-31 are common, they've always been there, and we understand that we have to deal with them because we want people to come to the Costa Brava. But for a few years now, with the alternative routes proposed by Google, people are driving in, which is blocking the town. They end up entering in the wrong directions, through residential areas, they get nervous... and that generates insecurity and serious problems." He continues: "A traffic jam like that blocks an ambulance or fire brigade in an emergency. It's very dangerous." The mayor also highlights the pressure these situations put on the local police: "We have to set up up to six checkpoints, the staff ends up exhausted, we receive insults, and all of this means overtime that we can't handle. It's a traffic problem, so we need you to help us find a solution."

The meeting with Traffic Department took place after the events that occurred during the May long weekend, when on Sunday the City Council decided, on its own initiative, to restrict access to the village to non-residents and force them to turn around. The measures now jointly agreed upon with the Generalitat (Catalan government) agency are expected to improve the situation, although the City Council insists on studying other options, such as directly closing the C-31 exits in the area to vehicles from outside the villages. This proposal will continue to be analyzed in the coming weeks, also incorporating city councils such as Platja d'Aro into the meetings.

The measure will only be implemented on return days and in the lanes towards Girona and Barcelona, ​​​​since traffic towards the Costa Brava is more staggered on return days, and if there are traffic jams, drivers move forward with greater patience without venturing into secondary shortcuts.