Due to the solar eclipse on August 12th, a large volume of travel is expected towards the designated observation points in Camp de Tarragona, Terres de l'Ebre, and Ponent. The Government has launched a special mobility operation that includes a ban on truck traffic southbound on the AP-7 between 5 PM and midnight, and restrictions for northbound traffic.
The director of the Catalan Traffic Service, Ramon Lamiel, has recommended using alternative routes to avoid highway saturation. For travel to Ponent, the C-25 and A-2 are suggested. To go to Lleida, les Borges Blanques, Valls, or Prades, the AP-2 is proposed. To access Camp de Tarragona, the use of the A-7 and N-340 is advised.
In the Terres de l'Ebre, an area with significant crowd projections, the T-11 and N-420 are recommended as alternative routes to access Baix Camp, Ribera d'Ebre, and Terra Alta. Secondary roads will act as a "valve" to divert traffic from the AP-7 towards the N-340 and other access roads to observation points.
A special operation with 180 officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra and a traffic control helicopter will coordinate the measures. This group is part of the 700 officers from the Catalan police deployed across the region. Coordination will take place from the 112 center in Reus.
Although there are no major traffic disruptions yet, a 2% increase in traffic was observed on Monday compared to the previous week. Some municipalities with observation points are already exceeding expected occupancy, with 60% of visitors being from the local region. The Catalan Traffic Service calls for a "staggered" departure operation and recommends "postponing the return".
Mònica Luis, head of the General Directorate of Mobility, emphasized the importance of "planning routes in advance" and having the car prepared. Vehicles stopping on the hard shoulder will be fined to avoid obstructing emergency vehicle access.
