The second Saturday of the opening of Ikea in Girona, located in the Avellaneda area, has once again caused a traffic collapse at the entrances to the main commercial establishments in the vicinity. The streets Astúries, Can Turón, and 8 de març were practically blocked for a large part of the day, especially in the morning.
Traffic jams and kilometer-long queues
From early on, traffic has been affected by the influx of vehicles trying to access Ikea, Leroy Merlin, and the Esclat Hypermarket. Many drivers have opted to turn back after long periods of being stopped, unable to move towards the parking lots. The Ikea shopping center only has about thirty spaces, insufficient to absorb Saturday demand.
The usual trip between Barcelona street and Esclat, which until two weeks ago took less than five minutes, this Saturday reached forty minutes. The Esclat Hypermarket was practically empty on one of the days of usual high attendance at the establishment.
Attempt to regulate traffic without police support
Employees of Esclat and Leroy Merlin have tried to direct traffic at the entrances to their stores due to the lack of police presence. According to affected workers, they had requested the cooperation of the municipal police, but they did not show up.
"We had asked the municipal police for help, but they haven't come" - Employee, Hipermercat Esclat
Access codes and full capacity
At eleven in the morning, a line of about a hundred people was waiting to enter Ikea. **A security guard prevented access inside because the capacity was full**. This situation had already occurred the previous Saturday, the first day the store was open to the public.The circulatory collapse in Avellaneda remains one of the main concerns for businesses and users in the area, especially on weekends