Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Work on the transformation starts this month and will be divided into three stages, lasting seventeen months in all. The goal is to turn this important street into a major green axis, giving priority to local people, pedestrians and commerce, and creating a large corridor running from the Parc de la Ciutadella to Collserola. The project will mean wider pavements, the creation of four new squares, a tenfold increase in surface space for parterres and vegetation and other improvements.

As part of the Nature Plan 2030, promoting the increase and conservation of green space and biodiversity, the work will completely revamp spatial distribution: while 20 metres of the 30-metre-wide street are currently used as a road surface, once the project is completed some 70% of the entire space will be for pedestrians and greenery.

This means surface space for vegetation and parterres will almost be multiplied by ten, with more space for pedestrians to spend time in, more pedestrian crossings and pavements at least 5 metres wide and up to 12 metres at certain points.

At the same time, four squares will be created, between them providing more than 2,800 square metres of space. These will be located in Pl. Joanic, and at the junctions between C/ Sant Lluís and C/ Ca l’Alegre de Dalt, between C/ Encarnació and C/ Pau Alsina, and between C/ Sardenya and C/ Providència.

Regarding circulation, the width of the road surface will be reduced and priority given to the circulation of local vehicles, bikes and buses. Heading upwards there will be a traffic lane for buses and local vehicles, along with a new segregated bike lane, while heading downhill there will be a lane shared by buses, local vehicles and bikes. A speed limit of 30 km/h will apply.

The project includes a service lane along both pavements, combined with parterres and including loading and unloading areas, waste containers, parking for bicycles and the rest of services along the entire length of the street. The existing number of bus-stops will be maintained and relocated along the new green street.

Developed through a participatory process with local people, shops and businesses and organisations, the project has a budget of 13.6 million euros.

Work in three stages

Work gets under way on 7 June and will take 17 months. One section is between Pl. Joanic and Ronda del Guinardó, making for a harmonious connection between the neighbourhoods in the districts of Gràcia and Horta-Guinardó; El Camp d’en Grassot i Gràcia Nova, Vila de Gràcia, La Salut, Can Baró and Baix Guinardó.

Preliminary work will be carried out from 7 to 20 June, consisting of demolishing pavements, removing trees and other tasks for the work to begin. One traffic lane will be operational in each direction at all times, with pedestrian routes also available throughout. During this period there will be no disruptions to bus-stops either.

Work on the first stage starts from 20 June: on the side nearest the Besòs, in the section between C/ Ca l’Alegre de Dalt and Ronda Guinardó, and on the side nearest the Llobregat, between Pl. Joanic (included) and C/ Ca l’Alegre de Dalt. Work on this stage will last until December 2022.

During this stage, the road surface on the side nearest the Besòs will be occupied between C/ Ca l’Alegre de Dalt and Ronda Guinardó, leaving one traffic lane in each direction. No pedestrian crossings will be affected during this stage, and one bus-stop will be relocated nearby.

The second stage of the work will take from December 2022 to May 2023. During this time, work will be carried out on the sides of the street opposite those already completed. One traffic lane in each direction will be guaranteed at all times, except in the section between C/ Sant Lluís and Pl. Joanic, where the definitive layout on the downhill side will be completed and uphill traffic will be diverted into C/ Escorial and C/ Sant Lluís.

The third stage of work starts in May 2023 and will last until October the same year. The remaining sections will be completed during this period.