An extraordinary deployment of forces, with 700 Mossos d’Esquadra officers mobilized for the total solar eclipse and coordinated with various local police forces, 180 from the Traffic unit, and also resources, with a helicopter continuously flying over the AP-7 south in Catalonia during the midday and afternoon of the astronomical phenomenon. The main concern of the Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) is to prevent a major collapse on Catalonia’s main road infrastructure. With a solar eclipse reaching totality on August 12 around 8:30 p.m. in the regions of Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre, and Ponent (Lleida), a very significant increase in mobility is expected throughout the afternoon.
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Main recommendation
Avoid the AP-7 whenever possible to leave the southern section of the highway for vehicles heading to Terres de l’Ebre
The extra volume that the AP-7 can absorb in the southern section, between Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l’Ebre, is about 20,000 vehicles, according to SCT data. One of the major difficulties is that no one knows for sure how many people will ultimately get in their cars to follow the solar eclipse in the Catalan totality band, where it can be seen at 100%.
Restrictions on the AP-7
No trucks heading south
Trucks will not be allowed to circulate on the southern section of the AP-7 highway from 5 p.m. on August 12 until midnight. The restricted section for heavy traffic is the one connecting the regions of Tarragona with Terres de l’Ebre. Northbound, towards Barcelona, on the same southern section, trucks will be allowed to circulate, but between Ulldecona (Montsià) and Tarragona all heavy vehicles must travel in the right lane, with no overtaking allowed, and at a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour (km/h). The intention of the Servei Català de Trànsit was to also prohibit truck circulation northbound on the southern section of the AP-7. However, the refusal of the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) to restrict heavy vehicle circulation on the Castelló section of the same highway has made Trànsit’s strategy impossible, according to SCT director Ramon Lamiel on Tuesday.
The black spot regarding possible collapses, according to Trànsit’s forecasts, is the AP-7 section between Cambrils and Terres de l’Ebre, up to the Amposta (Montsià) exit. This entire section, up to Castelló, has only two lanes in each direction. This is a key factor that could favor traffic jams in the event of a sudden increase in mobility.
Highway at the limit
The extra volume that the AP-7 south can absorb on the day of the eclipse, until 7 p.m., is about 20,000 vehicles
Traveling early and not waiting until the last minute is one of SCT’s main recommendations to avoid getting stuck on the AP-7. The Mossos d’Esquadra will carry out surveillance to prevent cars from parking on the highway shoulders intending to observe the eclipse if during the afternoon of August 12 they see they cannot reach their observation point on time. “We will be very insistent with patrols so that no one stops on the AP-7 because we have identified good observation points on the highway and on the N-340,” warned Ramon Lamiel, SCT director.
Short trips
The forecast is that 60% of mobility will be local, with residents seeking the best observation points
With the aim of removing vehicles from the AP-7, Trànsit has designed a mobility strategy with several alternatives to the highway. In the southern section, upon arrival of the AP-7 to the Tarragona regions, the A-7 motorway is one of the main alternatives for vehicles heading further south, to the Costa Daurada. The A-7 motorway ends in l’Ametlla de Mar (Baix Ebre), where there are two alternatives: return to the AP-7, with only two lanes and a significant congestion more than likely, or continue on the N-340. The national road has only one lane in each direction and countless roundabouts, but trucks are prohibited from circulating and there is usually less traffic than on the highway, which runs almost parallel in many sections.
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Departure operation
Concern about the return home or to vacation spots of tens of thousands of people who will have traveled for the eclipse
“We want to preserve the AP-7 for vehicles heading to Terres de l’Ebre,” Lamiel emphasized this morning. In a press conference to explain the exceptional device on Catalan roads for the solar eclipse, he highlighted that precisely in the Ebro delta there are several “magnetic points” that according to all forecasts will attract tens of thousands of curious people eager to follow the astronomical phenomenon from one of the most privileged points. Eucaliptus beach is one of the observation points, with capacity for about 10,000 people.
For this reason, in Terres de l’Ebre there are four key points (l’Ametlla de Mar, l’Ampolla, l’Aldea, and Amposta) to exit the AP-7 and go via the N-340 to observation points in the Ebro delta. At these four points, the continuous flight of a Trànsit helicopter will decide when to open or close some highway exits. The strategy is to divert traffic to less congested points, in real time, through mobility regulation.
Other alternative routes have been planned for vehicles heading to the Ponent regions, where there are also areas where the eclipse can be seen in totality. The routes recommended by SCT are the C-25 and A-2 to head to the Ponent regions and the AP-2 to go to Lleida, Les Borges Blanques, Valls, or Prades.
In the Ebro delta, in coordination with local police, there will be a special device to regulate traffic with the forecast of a large increase in mobility in towns such as La Ràpita, Sant Jaume d’Enveja, or Amposta, in the Montsià region. The strategy will be to circulate in a single direction to connect observation points such as Eucaliptus beach or the Trabucador bar and minimize traffic jams.
The eclipse departure operation is also a particular concern. “If the departure can be postponed, better,” Lamiel (SCT) emphasized. One of the most “fragile” points, according to the Trànsit director, is Amposta (Montsià). The fear is that a significant number of vehicles will enter the urban center of Amposta because navigators will seek alternatives when they detect heavy congestion.
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