The urban transformation of Astorga street began this Monday, May 4, with heavy machinery modifying the asphalt between Sant Bernat Calvó avenue and Terenci Moix street. The workers began the work in front of the Puigcerver School to turn this road into a civic axis prioritizing pedestrians over private vehicles.
The first phase will last eight months and includes the total prohibition of parking in the entire affected area. The project seeks to implement a central bike lane, widen sidewalks, and reorder traffic through a single lane per direction of travel.
Neighbors divided over daily impact
The reaction among residents shows conflicting stances on the necessity and timing of these works. Some criticize the intervention while others celebrate the recovery of public space for neighborhood coexistence.
"This is not a goat path. It is an avenue that already connects the center, and I think there are more important things to do." - Jordi Antonell, resident
Antonell warned about the immediate impact on quality of life during the coming months. The lack of parking and the mud generated by the work are his main concerns.
"They will have a muddy year all over the street. There are many cars and little parking. I think there are more important things to do." - Jordi Antonell, resident
A recognized worker at the site admitted the technical complexity of the project. The magnitude of the intervention requires careful logistics to minimize inconvenience.
"There is a lot of work to do." - Construction worker
Júlia Miquel discovered the start of the works upon seeing the bus diverted. Despite the initial surprise, she positively values the creation of green areas.
"Until today I didn't know the works were starting, I realized when I saw that the bus wasn't going through this lane. I'm in favor: it will give more familiarity with the environment and it will stop being so much of a street as it is now. Green space is always welcome." - Júlia Miquel, resident
Ricardo Dulou considers it positive to facilitate pedestrian flow between the center and the periphery. However, he warned about possible conflicts with non-approved scooters on the new lanes.
Traffic Closures and Mobility Alternatives
There is concern about the displacement of traffic towards collateral roads such as Pi i Margall and Pintor Fuster. The City Council enabled a plot of land on Calle de la Comunidad de Murcia as a park-and-ride to mitigate saturation.
Residents with inaccessible garages will receive a free card for the Pastoreta parking lot. On streets such as Euskadi, Avellaners, or La Vicaria, access will be restricted exclusively to registered residents.
Public transport undergoes significant modifications during this period. Lines 10 and 11 of the urban bus stop running along Astorga street and are diverted along Salou avenue.
On the ascent, it is recommended to use the Maria Aurèlia Capmany stop instead of the Marià Fortuny Health Center stop. For downhill journeys, the alternatives will be Urbanización Pàmies 2 and Barrio Fortuny 2 bis.
The Mobility and Traffic Service recommends using Pintor Fuster street and Salou avenue as main alternative routes. The second phase will also cut off traffic on Escultor Sunyol street and Papallona street.
The complete performance will extend for approximately one year. Drivers must exercise extreme caution due to the constant changes in vertical and horizontal signage in the area.