More space for walking, cycling and getting around on public transport

Various municipal measures were implemented to promote sustainable mobility and ensure safety distances during the months of the Covid-19 health crisis. Further measures will be implemented from September to carry on creating public space for pedestrians and extend bike routes and bus lanes. In addition, 34 of the 60 streets set aside as temporary safe routes during the lockdown exit will be maintained, with others such as Via Laietana joining in with the ‘Open Streets’ programme as it restarts in the autumn.

02/07/2020 10:34 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

The municipal investment to increase space for people to get around on foot, by bike and on the city’s bus network amounts to 2.17 million euros. Pedestrian spaces will be increased with:

  • Widened pavements, gaining 2,850 square metres in Rda. Universitat and C/ Pelai.
  • Additional pedestrian space at the junction between C/ Rocafort and C/ Consell de Cent, with 17 square metres of green space, urban furniture and play elements.

In order to improve the bus network, work will be done at the approaches to the Sants, Nord and Sant Andreu Arenal train stations, and in four bus lanes.

  • Av. Esplugues: creation of an inbound bus lane.
  • Av. Diagonal, from Pius XII to Zona Universitària: creation of a second outbound bus lane.
  • Av. Diagonal, from Plaça de Francesc Macià to C/ Sardenya: widening of the bus lanes in both directions.
  • Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, from Passeig de Gràcia to C/ Marina: creation of a second central bus lane.

A further 8 km of pedalable lanes will be created:

  • A one-way bike lane along the side lane nearest the sea in C/ Aragó, covering a distance of 4.8 km.
  • Two two-way bike routes in Passeig de la Zona Franca, each covering a distance of 1.6 km.

Thirty safe routes maintained

Work was carried out in over 500,000 square meters of public space during the Covid-19 crisis, enabling people to maintain safety distances when walking or doing sport. These safe routes guarantee at least four metres of width for people to pass, facilitating access to places such as markets, medical centres and parks. After an assessment of the routes getting the most use, 34 of the 60 will continue to be closed to traffic during part of the day.

‘Open Streets’ returns in the autumn

As from September, some of the city’s main streets will be closed to traffic again at weekends so that people can make use of them. Via Laietana, the Creu Cobert – Sants axis and the Passeig de Sant Joan – Pi i Margall axis will all be closed to traffic at the weekends. Elsewhere, traffic will be unable to circulate one weekend a month in Gran de Gràcia and the Fabra i Puig – Onze de Setembre axis, with the same measure to apply in C/ Aragó one weekend every three months.

The ‘Open Streets’ initiative began on 1 February in Gran de Gràcia and Via Laietana, filling them with local people.

Action during the lockdown exit process

Barcelona City Council took various measures to foster sustainable mobility during the lockdown exit process, increasing pedestrian space by 30,000 square metres: calming measures and traffic restrictions in various streets, an additional 21 km of bike corridors and 17 measures to strengthen the city’s bus network. Sixty safe routes were opened up around the city’s secondary roads during this period, with pavements also freed of parked motorcycles and traffic restricted in some of the main streets and avenues at the weekends.

 

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