Update on January 22: The AP-7 remains closed southbound indefinitely, and no news has been announced about its reopening. The alternative routes for traveling around the region are the same as those announced yesterday by the Catalan government and included in this article.
If you thought the day couldn’t get any worse after seeing the Rodalies service suspended, the reality of the Catalan roads has just added a new chapter to this day to forget. Since mid-afternoon on Wednesday, the AP-7 has ceased to be an option for those wishing to leave Barcelona heading south.
The Catalan Traffic Service has taken the drastic decision to close the motorway at Martorell due to a real risk of the road collapsing, an extreme safety measure that comes after the damage caused by the latest storm.
The situation is delicate, and the Ministry of Transport did not want to take any chances. Although initially the total closure of the road in both directions was put on the table, it was finally decided to keep the northbound flow open, limiting the closure only to the lanes going down towards Tarragona. Ramon Lamiel, director of the SCT, has confirmed that the intervention is necessary to ensure that the asphalt does not give way, especially at a point where the infrastructure has suffered critical wear and tear due to rain and adjacent railway incidents.
The Generalitat’s fire department had already closed one lane between Gelida and Castellví de Rosanes after detecting the first signs of instability on the highway. However, following an emergency technical assessment of the walls and retaining elements, the Catalan Traffic Service opted for the most drastic measure: total closure until further notice to avoid any risk of collapse or landslides.
The source of the problem: rain and trains
This incident is not an isolated event, but the consequence of a “perfect storm.” According to sources from Civil Protection and the Catalan Traffic Service itself, the instability of the terrain has been aggravated by heavy rainfall and, in particular, by the indirect impact of the derailment of an R4 line train in Gelida on Tuesday.
That railway accident, caused by a rockfall that affected the train track, also appears to have compromised the base of the ground on which the highway rests. Technicians are working around the clock to determine the extent of the structural damage and carry out the necessary repairs, but the reality is that there is currently no clear date for reopening.
Alternatives to avoid the closure
As expected, the closure of the AP-7 in Martorell is causing a domino effect on other roads in the metropolitan area. To avoid getting caught in the traffic jam, different alternative routes have been set up depending on where you are headed.
If your destination is inland, the most viable option is to take the C-25. For those who need to go down to the Penedès area, the authorities recommend using the N-340 and the C-15. If, on the other hand, you are heading for the coast, the C-32 is your best bet today. Finally, for drivers looking to connect with the A-2, traffic is being diverted via the C-58 and B-40.
At Barcelona Secreta, we recommend that, before leaving home, you check the real-time traffic situation on the Trànsit social media channels, as the situation is constantly changing and traffic jams can occur on any secondary road. Stay calm and remember that, on this occasion, safety comes before the rush to get there.