Gran Via tunnel project funding is now secured, with a major infrastructure agreement signed to begin burying a key section of the avenue in early 2027.
Catalan president Salvador Illa and L’Hospitalet mayor David Quirós formalised the deal on Thursday, unlocking €39.8 million from the regional government to cover the local council’s share.
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Consequently, this crucial step allows the long-delayed urban transformation of the area to proceed.
The initial phase will cover 450 metres of Gran Via between Rambla Marina and the start of the Llobregat river park. Furthermore, the entire burial operation is scheduled for completion by 2030, with full urbanisation finishing a year later. This project aims to fundamentally reshape connectivity in southern Barcelona.
Gran Via Tunnel Project To Create “Prosperity Pentagon”
President Illa emphasised the project’s wider significance during the signing ceremony. He stated it would dramatically improve neighbourhood life and realise the “Nova Gran Via del futur.” Moreover, he framed it as the final piece in a “metropolitan pentagon of prosperity” connecting major economic hubs.
This pentagon includes Barcelona’s Airport and Port, the Zona Franca, the Fira de Barcelona, and the new BioCluster for Innovation and Health. The BioCluster will be a central feature on the land freed up by burying the road. Therefore, the Gran Via tunnel project is seen as a catalyst for broader economic development.
Mayor Quirós highlighted the shared conviction between city and region to tackle L’Hospitalet’s challenges. He celebrated that the transformation is being driven from within the municipality itself. The project will reorganise nearly 96 hectares, creating new pedestrian and green connections.
Once finished, residents will be able to walk safely through green zones on both sides of the avenue. This improved access will link them directly to the Bellvitge medical campus, Hospital Duran i Reynals, and the University of Barcelona. Such connectivity is designed to actively boost the new BioCluster’s success.
The first phase of the Gran Via tunnel project carries an estimated cost of €144 million. This revived plan follows a complex history. An initial project was approved in 2017 but was nullified by the Catalan High Court in 2020 due to procedural and environmental concerns.
Opposition from political groups and environmentalists centred on the plan’s urban and ecological impact. Accordingly, authorities chose to revise the proposal rather than appeal. The new plan, called PDU Biopol-Granvia, incorporated the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) and enhanced green corridors, addressing the court’s rulings.
Technical studies and urbanisation plans have been in development since the new project’s approval in April 2024. The Catalan government and L’Hospitalet council are now moving forward with the tendering process. This marks a definitive end to years of delays and legal hurdles for the transformative Gran Via tunnel project.
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