BarcelonaThe usual delays in an operation leaving the Tots Sants bridge are added this time to the complications caused by the passage of the DANA, especially in the south of Catalonia, where during this Thursday the rain has caused some cuts. In fact, this afternoon, coinciding with the time when thousands of cars are expected to leave the metropolitan area of Barcelona to cross the bridge, the Generalitat has recommended to the population that “if they are in Barcelona, do not go to Les Terres of the Ebro”.
Faced with the forecast of many journeys by car in the coming days, the administration has once again called for prudence. The Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) estimates that 480,000 vehicles will leave the metropolitan area of Barcelona from Thursday at 3pm to Friday at 3pm. As for the return, it is expected that 260,000 vehicles will return to the capital sunday afternoon Most of the destinations are the mountains and points in the interior of Catalonia. Given this forecast of a high volume of vehicles in circulation, Traffic and the Mossos d’Esquadra have activated a special device to minimize incidents on roads and motorways.
The roads with the most mobility will be those that access mountain areas and the interior, such as the C-16, the C-17, the C-14 and the C-55, in addition to the N-145 that enters Andorra . Significant delays are also expected on the AP-7, the B-23 and the C-58, both on the way out and on the way back. In addition, on Sunday, the A-2 may also be affected in the sections of Jorba and between Castellolí and Abrera. On the other hand, given the religious nature of the All Saints festival, which this year falls on a Friday and coincides with the departure operation, there may also be delays in access to cemeteries.
“Don’t let your guard down”
Tránsit predicts that this horse will be highly mobile and points out that “you must not let your guard down at any time while driving to avoid accidents”. They remember that it is important to use the passive safety systems, not to use the mobile phone or other electronic devices, to respect the speed limits and not to take alcohol or drugs before driving. “The only safe rate is 0.0%,” insists Tránsit. On the other hand, the SCT also reminds that it is necessary to check the vehicle before going out on the road to avoid incidents that could be prevented with good maintenance.
The aim of the device is to minimize the possible effects on Catalan roads and ensure road safety. The director of the Catalan Traffic Service, Ramon Lamiel, recalled: “It is necessary to avoid peak hours, which we foresee today at 7 pm, tomorrow at 1 pm and Sunday at 7 pm”. This All Saints bridge comes after a month of October in which 16 people died on Catalan roads. Throughout the year, 114 people have already died in 106 road accidents. Of these, 44 were motorcyclists, 6 cyclists, 6 pedestrians and 1 personal mobility vehicle.
More than 1,200 junctions and lanes in the opposite direction
To increase capacity on the roads and improve fluidity, the SCT will adopt special traffic regulation measures. On Sunday, one lane will be enabled in the opposite direction on the AP-7 from Sant Celoni to Montornès del Vallès, and another from Vilafranca del Penedès to Molins de Rei. On the other hand, the bus-VAO lane on C-58 will be opened and fast and slow lanes on C-16 and C-55 will also be canceled.
Restrictions have also been established for heavy vehicles, which will not be able to circulate on certain sections of the A-2, the AP-7, the B-23, the C-31 and the C-32 on Sunday afternoon. In addition, on both Friday and Sunday they will not be able to overtake on the AP-7 between Sant Celoni and Vilafranca del Penedès and in the sections where lanes have been enabled in the opposite direction they will not be able to exceed 80 kilometers per hour.
Regarding the presence of the Mossos on the roads, 1,255 traffic officers will be deployed both on the roads with maximum mobility and on secondary roads. There will be 1,117 controls at the points where more traffic is expected. Of these, 298 will be alcohol and drug controls, 152 for passive safety, 184 for motorcycles, 232 for distractions, 166 for speed and 85 for transport.
Roads with more retentions
Traffic’s forecast is that the AP-7 freeway will refocus a large part of the delays on this All Saints bridge, specifically in the section from Barberà del Vallès to Montornès del Vallès (northbound) and, in the direction of south, from Papiol to Martorell (Gelida). Other roads and sections that will be able to register more mobility during the departure operation will be the A-2 between Cornellà de Llobregat and Abrera, the B-23 near Molins de Rei, the B-30 in Barberà del Vallès and the C-16 in Berga and Cercs. Likewise, delays are expected on the C-17 from Mollet del Vallès to Parets del Vallès, on the C-58 between Barcelona and Ripollet, on the C-14 near Oliana and on the N- 145 between Seu d’Urgell and Andorra.
The AP-7 is also among the roads that will be most affected on Sunday during the return, especially between Sant Celoni and La Roca del Vallès (northbound) between Vilafranca del Penedès and Martorell in the southbound direction. Other roads that are expected to be problematic are the A-2, the C-14 in Ponts and Organyà and the C-16 between Cercs and Berga and in the Cadí tunnel. So will the link between the C-17 and the N-260 in Ripoll, the C-33 from Llagosta to Barcelona and the C-55 near Castellgalí.
Source: www.ara.cat
