Residents demand acceleration of Meridiana reform for 'historical reparation and health'

Neighbourhood organizations from Nou Barris and Sant Andreu present objections to the project and demand a meeting with the mayor.

Generic image of roadworks on an urban avenue in Barcelona.
IA

Generic image of roadworks on an urban avenue in Barcelona.

Neighbourhood organizations from Nou Barris and Sant Andreu have called for accelerating the reform of Meridiana avenue, citing reasons of 'historical reparation and health', and have submitted objections to the project.

The Federació d’Associacions Veïnals de Barcelona (FAVB), along with a dozen groups from these two districts, has submitted objections to the Meridiana reform project. The first vice-president of FAVB, Àlex Labad, has stressed that the works represent a "historic opportunity" and has requested that the neighbourhood's opinion be considered, demanding an "urgent meeting" with the city's mayor, Jaume Collboni, to present the proposals.
The neighbourhood proposal aims to transform the section of Meridiana from Fabra i Puig to passeig Santa Coloma into a "Rambla", similar to the one already existing from Glòries to El Clot. According to Labad, this action would give a "more transversal soul" to the avenue, creating a space of union between Nou Barris and Sant Andreu, and envisioning a "new Fabra i Puig" as a connecting square between the neighbourhoods of Porta, Sant Andreu, and Sagrera.
Labad recalled the historical transformation of the area, from a hill to a highway without neighbourhood consultation, and insisted that the reform is crucial for "historical reparation and above all for health", noting that life expectancy in these neighbourhoods is lower than the city average. "We cannot wait for the reform until 2040", he stated.
From the platform Trinitat per la mateixa via, Paco Flórez welcomed the fact that the preliminary project reaches the Sarajevo bridge, but demanded its expansion to gain approximately 1,500 square metres of public space, a "historic demand" that would extend to Montcada. Both agreed on the need for "structural reinforcement of public transport", proposing an express bus line along Meridiana and a segregated cycle lane.
Another long-standing demand is the metro connection between Trinitat Nova and Trinitat Vella, which according to the Infrastructure Master Plan could be completed before 2030, also benefiting municipalities such as Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Badalona.