Sea Gateways – La Rambla

Management and improvement of public space

District of Ciutat Vella

Precontent

The main objective of the Sea Gateways projects is to improve accessibility and connection to the sea on foot and by bicycle, to create spaces for sea-city interrelation through the main vertebral thoroughfares and secondary transversal corridors capable of linking the spaces of the city with the spaces of the coast, and proposing, if necessary, a new arrangement of the open spaces that facilitates physical and visual access to the sea.

The urban fabric of Barcelona, from Montjuïc to Besòs, is characterised by streets that go all the way to the seafront, although there is only a continuity of road traffic, as the ring road and railway lines act as a barrier. There is a lack of transversal links (mountain-sea) that connect the city to the coast, on foot and by bike. The main theme is to give continuity and fluidity to the “vertical” routes with the “horizontal” routes of the coastal corridor, addressing above all the crossroads and the points of contact and intersection between the two routes. It is a case of making the public space for movement and relaxation as continuous and easily accessible as possible. The rationale of these projects is to physically determine and signpost the routes of public spaces, accessible on foot or by bicycle, that lead from the city to the sea and vice versa.

The main objective of the La Rambla Gateway project is to improve the connection between La Rambla and the Moll de les Drassanes and Moll de la Fusta, resolving the current conflicts between pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles and giving priority to pedestrians. The proposal also involves rethinking the Portal de la Pau square to reinforce the continuity of the public space between the end of La Rambla, the Columbus Monument and Moll de les Drassanes, reducing and rearranging the flow of vehicles to give priority to the mobility of pedestrians and reinforce the concept of the square. 

What are we doing?

The restructuring of La Rambla is expected to begin in 2022. The remodelling will consist of transforming the avenue to make it more comfortable, greener, friendlier and more cultural, with more space for pedestrians and better accessibility and organisation of uses. It will be carried out in phases, starting with the part of La Rambla closest to the sea, i.e. the Colom - Santa Madrona section. The improvements consist of the following actions:

  • The establishment of a single traffic lane in each direction for local traffic, bicycles and buses.

  • Enlarging the pavements. The paving will cover the entire road, so there will be no asphalt, and will be made up of different sized tiles.

  • Installing benches and chairs at the sides of the central avenue and in the shade of the trees.

  • The creation of three large, single-platform plazas in three of the most emblematic intersections: the Moja-Betlem area, the Pla de la Boqueria and the Pla del Teatre.

  • Relocating the press kiosks so that they do not face each other.

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