More pedestrian space in Gran Via, Diagonal and Via Laietana

Work is progressing to adapt public space for healthier and more sustainable mobility which prioritises journeys on foot, by bike and public transport. Upcoming measures include increasing pedestrian space in Gran Via, Av. Diagonal and Via Laietana, stepping up action to free pavements of motorcycles, the creation of three new bike corridors and improvements to the efficiency of four bus lanes.

13/05/2020 16:24 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

The plan enables safety distances to be guaranteed in the current context of the health emergency, consolidating a mobility model designed to serve health and community life.

Making it easier to walk in main streets

Various sections of side lanes in the city’s main streets are being reserved for pedestrians. These include:

  • Av. Diagonal:
    • Side nearest the sea, between C/ Villarroel and Pg. Gràcia.
    • Side nearest the mountains, between C/ Roger de Llúria and C/ Sardenya.
  • Gran Via:
    • Section between C/ Vilamarí and Rbla. Catalunya.
    • Section between C/ Pau Claris and C/ Bailén.

In Via Laietana, pavements are being widened to 4,15 metres on both sides, delimited with paint markings and bollards.

Streets with priority for pedestrians

Once the work in C/ Consell de Cent is completed, in the section between C/ Urgell and Pg. Gràcia, calming measures will be executed in the coming days in other streets:

  • C/ Consell de Cent, between C/ Rocafort-Urgell and Pg. Gràcia-Girona.
  • C/ Girona: between Gran Via and Av. Diagonal.
  • C/ Rocafort.

The calming measures add four metres to the width of pavements, delimited with floor markings, and cut traffic to a single lane with a 30 km/h speed limit.

Pavements free of motorcycles

Moves to free pavements of badly parked motorcycles will be stepped up in the coming weeks to ensure safety distances for pedestrians and minimise the occupation of public space.

Measures:

  • Elimination of parking spaces.
  • Signs indicating prohibition.
  • Notifications of infringements.
  • Removal of vehicles.
  • Regular checks.
  • Special price offers to facilitate the use of car parks.
  • Promotion of on-street parking: study of 526 new spaces.

154,000 square metres of extra space for pedestrians

The measures to facilitate journeys on foot are included in the plan to adapt public space by reserving parts of the side lanes of main streets for pedestrians, calming streets and permanently widening pavements (30,000 square metres), reducing motorcycles on pavements (43,000 square metres) and the extension of temporary safe routes to address the specific needs generated by the health crisis (81,000 square metres).

More space for bikes

The new bike corridors make use of traffic lanes reserved for bicycles, and in some cases bikes and buses, and are delimited with paint markings, signs and protective elements.

The next few days will add three new bike corridors to the one in C/ Pau Claris.

  • C/ Roger de Llúria.
  • C/ Indústria, between Pg. Sant Joan and Av. Gaudí.
  • C/ València, between Av. Roma and Av. Diagonal

In all, 21 km of new bike corridors have been created in ten city streets.

Quicker and more efficient bus service

Eight of the seventeen improvements to the bus lane network have been executed so far: the segregation of the lane in Pla de Palau, and in partial sections in Pg. Gràcia, Via Favència, C/ Balmes and C/ Cartagena; the creation of new lanes along sections of C/ Espronceda and in Pg. Garcia Fària, and the modification of another section in Via Favència.

In addition, four lanes will be segregated using bollards in the next few days to achieve greater efficiency in the circulation of buses in the following streets:

  • Av. Sarrià.
  • C/ Balmes: between C/ València and C/ Aragó.
  • C/ Roger de Llúria: between C/ Consell de Cent and C/ Aragó.
  • C/ València: between C/ Roger de Llúria and C/ Girona.

 

Related news