The metropolitan bike lane between Esplugues de Llobregat and Barcelona marked a before and after. Inaugurated in 2018, it broke physical and mental boundaries between Baix Llobregat and the Catalan capital. The safe connection for bicycles, scooters and pedestrians bypassing the junction of the Ronda de Dalt and Diagonal received urban and architectural awards. In addition, it exceeded all usage expectations: currently, an average of 1,891 bikes and scooters pass through there per day.
Now the city councils of the two cities and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) have decided to emulate the initiative on the south side of Diagonal, as La Vanguardia has learned. The twin project to the one executed five years ago on the northern slope will go behind the sports facilities of the University of Barcelona (UB) and the L'Hospitalet Nord sports complex. In the first phase, it will continue an existing cycle path that begins at the Finestrelles shopping center and ends literally in nothingness, above the access to the Hospitalet sports facilities. The objective is to give continuity and improve this infrastructure so that it reaches the Diagonal, thus allowing the connection with the UB sports area, in whose place the new Clínic hospital may one day be built. The orography of the environment with important embankments right next to it add some difficulty in a section of about 400 meters that will have a width of 5.5 meters, of which three will be for the bidirectional bike lane and the remaining 2.5 for the pedestrians, who until now could not pass through there and had to opt for a much longer, as well as soulless, path.
“It will allow a fast, safe and sustainable connection, especially for the Esplugues neighborhoods that are below the Dalt ring road and the highway,” celebrates the city's mayor, Pilar Díaz. The action is part of the Bicivia network of metropolitan interurban connections promoted in recent years by the AMB. “Safe infrastructures are essential to promote the use of bicycles among citizens and continue adding new users,” acknowledges Carlos Cordón, the new vice president of Mobility of the AMB.
The intention is, in a second phase, to continue along the southern part of Diagonal passing in front of the RACC to Torre Melina street, next to the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, where it would allow connection with the network of already existing bike lanes. in the Catalan capital and cross to the other side if you intend to continue driving along Diagonal.
For now, the executive project of the first section is being finalized and, according to AMB sources, its initial approval is expected before the end of the year and the final green light for the first quarter of next year. Then it will be put out to tender and by the second half of 2024 they hope to begin the works, which have an approximate schedule of six months.
The AMB is in charge of drafting the project and managing the works, with a total investment of 1.7 million in its first phase. The part that corresponds to Esplugues has a cost of 294,000 euros, 70% of which are financed by the AMB and 30% by the city council. The capital area, which amounts to 1.4 million euros, will be paid for by its council. An agreement will be made between the three administrations to coordinate the work, with the intention that the same thing that happened on the north side does not happen, with the metropolitan part taken care of and Barcelona turned into a quagmire.
