The Government backtracks and shelves one of the new access points to the C-32 due to pressure from local residents

Barcelona"It made no sense to build another access to the C-32 in Canet, if there was already one a little further on," says Mercè Girona, spokesperson for the Canet de Mar Environmental Emergency Coordinator (CEAC). This week, the environmentalist residents of CEAC, Preservem el Maresme, and Unió de Pagesos received the news they had long awaited: the new access to the C-32 in Canet de Mar will not go ahead after all. After years of neighborhood mobilizations and a substantial list of objections, the Balearic Government has decided to back down and has removed this infrastructure project from the package of works that will soon be put out to tender, which includes plans for five other new access points to the highway in the Maresme region. "We had a meeting in September where they already told us, but we waited for them to make it official with the town councils as well," explains Girona. Now, the final step remains: for the decision to be put in writing. "This will be around Christmas, when the resolutions regarding the appeals we've filed are published," the neighborhood spokesperson explained. "They assured us that access "The Canet project has declined and will not be awarded or budgeted," he confirms. For its part, the Government says it is not completely ruling out the project, but rather that it will be "re-examined," and assures that it could be resumed in the future if the local councils act. "All the municipalities would have to agree, which we believe will not happen, and we would have to start from scratch to find new funding," explains Girona, who considers this option practically ruled out.

The condition for calming traffic on the N-II

The construction of access roads to the C-32 was a necessary condition for moving forward with another crucial project: the traffic calming of the N-II highway, which runs parallel to the R1 commuter rail line along the Maresme coast. Calming this road—to essentially transform it into a coastal promenade—has been a long-standing desire of both the government and the local community, but it has yet to be resolved. It would significantly reduce traffic, which would naturally be diverted to the Maresme motorway, the C-32. For this reason, the government proposed building more and new access roads to the motorway.

The first political agreement to carry out this major project dates back to 2009, sixteen years ago. At that time, 400 million euros were already pledged. Two years ago, in 2023, the Generalitat signed an agreement with the Spanish government of pending transfers that included 384 million to renovate the N-II, clear it of cars and improve connections with the C-32. But the groups opposed to the project argue that, with all the time that has passed, the demand has changed in form and meaning. "With the elimination of tolls, the road has emptied and cars are choosing the motorway, so the N-II is practically calming itself," Josep Maria Baqués, spokesperson for Unió de Pagesos, told ARA.

Thus, according to the groups opposed to the project, the new access points to the C-32 are now pointless and would only serve to "further divide the region." They explain that several studies by both the Catalan Government and the Provincial Council indicate that the new highway entrance and exit would only reduce traffic flow by 10%. "There is no need to create more exits to reduce traffic on the N-II, especially compared to the environmental impact," emphasizes Girona, who points out that the project envisioned three exits in less than two and a half kilometers of highway. "That's practically more exits than there are on Barcelona's Ronda de Dalt ring road," adds Baqués.

Another key argument used by environmentalists is that this project encouraged the use of private vehicles at the expense of public transport. "Perhaps more investment should be made in commuter rail and less in highways for private vehicles," suggest representatives from various neighborhood associations. The construction also allegedly destroyed several environmentally and agriculturally protected areas and disrupted urban planning.

The next neighborhood struggles

The residents are experiencing the project's suspension as a social victory and feel more empowered than ever. That's why they warn that they will continue protesting and adding objections to the rest of the project. "We are very happy and have plenty of arguments to stop the other access roads, the one from Calella and Pineda and the one from Cabrils, which will be presented at Christmas and where we will also submit technical objections," says Jordi Pagès, spokesperson for Preservem el Maresme. "When they extended the C-32 from Mataró, we already mobilized. I remember we brought out the tractors and started tilling the asphalt they were laying," recalls Baqués, from the Unió de Pagesos (Farmers' Union). "Then [the politicians] did come to the area, we talked, and they agreed to some changes," he recounts.

Baqués, Girona, and Pagès agree on what the next battles will be. "The Cabrils access road further fragments the agricultural landscape, and in one of the models, it directly affects the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, IRTA. I'm convinced they want to move everything to Lleida, but the region needs a headquarters here, because we have the flower and plant sector, and that can only be developed from here. Yes. This monstrous project?

On the horizon, all the organizations also have another, longer-term project in mind: the extension of the C-32 highway towards Blanes. "We are coordinating with the 'Stop the C-32' and 'SOS Costa Brava' platforms to stop it," warns Pagès, from Preservem el Maresme. "Things must be resolved by being on the ground, not from offices drawing pictures on a map," concludes Baqués.