A multi-municipal agreement to maintain Barcelona’s vital ring roads has been renewed, securing over eight million euros for the upkeep of the city’s busiest motorways. The Barcelona City Council, along with the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), have extended their collaborative pact to ensure the conservation of these critical transport arteries.
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The agreement covers the maintenance of the Ronda de Dalt (B-20) and the Ronda Litoral (B-10), specifically the sections between the Diagonal junction and the El Morrot area near the port. It also includes the Barcelona portion of the northern Gran Via. For 2026, the total investment will stand at €8.8 million, ensuring these heavily trafficked routes remain safe and functional.
The financial contributions are distributed among the four public bodies. The Barcelona City Council will provide the vast majority of the funding, allocating €5.9 million. The AMB, the supramunicipal body, will contribute a significant €2.8 million. The neighbouring municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs will provide €24,909 and €21,484, respectively, reflecting their stake in the regional transport network.
This collaborative framework is not new. According to a report by Metrópoli Abierta, the entities first signed a joint maintenance agreement in December 2020. After that pact expired in December 2023, a new one was established, supplemented by a bilateral agreement between the Generalitat de Catalunya and the AMB. This led to a €9 million investment in 2024. The current agreement, established in 2025 with an €8.8 million budget, has now been formally extended to cover 2026 at the same funding level.
Beyond routine maintenance, improving the daily flow of traffic on the ring roads remains a persistent concern for authorities. The high volume of vehicles frequently leads to significant delays, as seen in recurrent major traffic jams that can gridlock the city. In response, the Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) announced late last year that it was studying a series of “microsolutions” aimed at reducing accidents and boosting circulatory efficiency.
Among the measures being considered is the implementation of a “flash” traffic light system. This technology would be used to regulate and meter the flow of vehicles entering the ring roads from access ramps, preventing the sudden surges in traffic that often trigger congestion and increase the risk of collisions. The goal is to create a smoother, safer, and more predictable travel experience for the thousands of drivers who rely on the Rondas every day.
