A large transversal beam from a railway bridge on the R-3 Rodalies line collapsed overnight in La Garriga. Fortunately, it caused no injuries, but the incident prompted an immediate and forceful demand for accountability from local authorities.
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The incident occurred early on Saturday, 14 March, on a bridge crossing the busy Avenida Onze de Setembre. This structure, locally known as the ‘Pont de Sant Lluís Gonçaga’ due to its location opposite a private school, is part of a track section currently closed for major engineering works. The closure, combined with the fact that the collapse happened on a weekend night, prevented what could have been a serious accident involving trains, vehicles, or pedestrians.
Mayor Demands Answers from Adif
La Garriga’s Mayor, Meritxell Budó, swiftly condemned the incident, directing her criticism at Spain’s state-owned railway infrastructure manager, Adif, which is responsible for the ongoing works. In a strongly worded social media post, she shared images of the fallen beam surrounded by construction barriers.
“Luckily, no one was hurt. But what has happened is very serious,” Budó wrote. “Adif must provide explanations and assume responsibility immediately. They have left the works half-finished and without guaranteeing safety. ENOUGH!!”
The collapse has intensified scrutiny of the extensive project to duplicate the R-3 line between Montcada i Reixac and La Garriga. These works, which have significantly disrupted commuters since October 2025, aim to improve service frequency and reliability on the historically troubled line. The current phase is expected to last until at least May 2026.
A Pattern of Problems for the R3 Line
This structural failure is the latest in a series of setbacks for the R3 line. Earlier in the week, El País reported that a different section of the same line, between La Garriga and Sant Martí de Centelles, closed due to a rockfall. This closure occurred just four hours after the service had reopened following months of disruption, highlighting a network perceived to be in perpetual difficulty.
These persistent issues highlight the challenges facing the Rodalies network. The system is grappling with what has been described as its ‘worst crisis’ amid hundreds of speed restrictions. Adif and the central government’s Ministry of Transport, currently led by Óscar Puente, hold responsibility for the infrastructure. Meanwhile, Renfe operates the train services.
These ongoing disruptions occur even as the Generalitat de Catalunya has sought to ease the financial burden on passengers, recently confirming extended free Rodalies travel. While long-term investment in track duplication aims to modernise the service, incidents like the La Garriga bridge collapse severely undermine public confidence in the project’s safety and management.
Local outlet CatNoticias provided initial reports of the collapse. Adif has yet to issue a formal statement detailing the cause of the structural failure or outlining measures to ensure the safety of other structures along the construction route.
