Barcelona saw a major holiday getaway this weekend, with 585,000 vehicles, or 97% of the 600,000 expected, leaving the metropolitan area for the Second Easter holiday, according to the Catalan Traffic Service.
The heaviest traffic came on Friday afternoon, when congestion built quickly on key routes out of the city. The AP-7 motorway was the worst affected, with tailbacks reaching up to 40 kilometres in both directions in some sections.
Minor accidents were also reported during the rush. The busiest points included stretches near Llinars del Vallès and Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, with other delays around Roca del Vallès, Montmeló and El Perelló.
Second Easter, known locally as Pasqua Granada or Pasqua Florida, is a public holiday in more than 150 municipalities. That includes Barcelona, Badalona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Cornellà de Llobregat and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, as well as Montcada i Reixac, Ripollet and Mataró.
The return journey is expected to bring around 300,000 vehicles back into the Barcelona metropolitan area between 12:00 and 00:00 on Monday, with some return traffic also forecast for Sunday. Drivers can expect extra pressure on the AP-7, C-31, C-33, C-58, C-65, N-340 and N-II.
For official traffic updates, check the Catalan Traffic Service. You can also follow local coverage on Community and Sport for more Barcelona-area news.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
