Civil Engineering in Barcelona's Old City Center

Walking the streets of the old city of Barcelona, you notice that they are beginning to fill with more than just tourists. Fences, equipment, pipes, large machinery, and numerous construction workers now occupy the streets. Ciutat Vella, also known as the old city, refers to the neighborhoods of El Raval, the Gothic Quarter, Barceloneta, and El Born. These neighborhoods date back to 15 BC when a small Roman colony founded the location. The streets are narrow and crowded with buildings overlapping each other. Imagine attempting to excavate these foundations while implementing new water and gas services throughout the area. This task is quite difficult as it involves preserving history while updating the serviceable needs of the community. So, what kind of civil engineering projects are currently happening during the quieter months of tourism?

On the street I walk to and from school every day, the construction workers are dealing with a metro subway tunnel, two sewerage systems on each side, and two service galleries along which run gas pipes, water pipes, power lines, and telecommunications for the local vicinity. The goal of the project on Via Laietana is to fix the water traps and transfer water and gas services. The water traps help maintain the water seal. If a trap dries out, sewer gases can escape, so it’s important to use the fixtures regularly or periodically add water to the traps. A main issue within the goal is that the repairs are occurring beneath the facades of buildings. Trenches are created throughout to help shift the pipelines, upgrade the old walls, and install new pipes.

For the project to proceed properly, provisional pipes need to be built between the metro and the galleries so that the latter can be demolished and the permanent pipes can eventually be installed in the same place. There is another complication in that electricity, telephony, and communications cannot be transferred by sections. These pipes need to be replaced entirely and in the shortest period of time to minimize the negative effect on the neighborhood’s residents and businesses. With all the underground work occurring, urban planning is happening above. Urban planning is essential in helping the neighborhood absorb the high volume of foot traffic from tourists. This urban planning includes pavements up to 4 meters wide along the street, wider pedestrian crossings, new lighting on façades, bike lanes in both directions (segregated on the uphill side and shared with the bus on the downhill side), and a single traffic lane for private vehicles heading downhill. With the implementation of all these civil engineering projects, the local government aims to create a greener street with less noise and pollution from traffic. The goal is to have an enjoyable walk in the local shops of Barcelona. The project is expected to be completed in 2025, having begun in September 2023. It is interesting to understand how the project on Via Laietana and La Rambla may take center stage for the city as tourists see this on a normal trip. So, are there projects within the neighborhoods of locals that will not be touched until much later in the project timeline?