Barcelona’s most famous street undergoes transformation

La Rambla will get disrupted for the next 32 months, but let’s see what the end result will be like

It will cost 55 million euros and will last 32 months, but in the end the promise is it will be more pedestrian-friendly and greener. We’re talking about the renovation project of probably the most famous street in Barcelona – La Rambla.

When all the workers put away their machinery in 2027, the pedestrian part of the boulevard promises to become wider and shadier, whereas traffic will get more limited although it will not disappear altogether. What’s more, the town planners foresee La Rambla to become a sort of a cultural axis of Barcelona as well.

Accelerated renovation of La Rambla

Initially, the project, called ‘La Nova Rambla’, was meant to take six years to complete but the administration of mayor Jaume Collboni managed to find a way to cut this in half. And that’s considering that the initial plan only previewed renovating certain sections whereas now the entire length of the street will undergo a makeover.

The project will take place in three phases in order to minimize disruptions to traffic and residents as best as possible. The first phase, lasting 10 months, kicked off yesterday and it saw cutting off the traffic lane that goes towards the sea. The following phase will see disruptions to the opposite traffic lane.

In the final year of the renovation, during the last phase, traffic will be reopened on both sides. Renovation work will focus on the central walkway, alternating sections to ensure pedestrian access.

It’s only during the last couple of months that disruptions will occur in a way that will prevent outdoor seating areas of cafes from operating there.

The City likewise intends to continue promoting La Rambla as a premier cultural axis of Barcelona with support for all cultural organisations located on or near it to hold outdoor events there.