Passeig de Taulat bike lane and the connection between Barcelona and Sant Adrià del Besòs by bicycle.

The Barcelona City Council’s commitment to sustainable and active mobility is based, among other pillars, on the expansion of the city’s cycling infrastructure. The goal is to contribute vigorously to the sustainable and active mobility of citizens, promote the use of public transport and reduce private vehicle use.

Need and project objectives.

The need for a new two-way horizontal axis for bicycles that would link Av. Icaria with the Forum was the reason for the construction of the bike lane on Passeig de Taulat, between Carrer de Badajoz and Av. Diagonal-Plaça de Llevant. The objective of the project was to expand the network of cycle paths and, at the same time, connect the network of cycle lanes in Barcelona with the one leading to Sant Adrià del Besòs.

The proposed solution.

The project was divided into six sections with different constructive solutions for the bike path depending on the section: either it goes along beside the sea, is in a 30 km/h zone or is centered on the road. With a length of 2.5 km, it took six months to install. In the section centered on the roadway, the solution proposed by the City Council was the construction of a segregated bike path through the center of Passeig de Taulat using the Zipper® System modules.

This system is modular, and its modules can be installed continuously or discontinuously, allowing multiple configurations to be built. The main characteristics of the Zipper® system are:

1. It adapts to any type of road, particularly avenues.
2. It is very visible because in its modules almost 50% of the surface is reflective.
3. Its modules are manufactured with recycled plastic and are recyclable so their environmental impact is minimal; it is an ecodesigned product.
4. It is competitive because projects can be implemented quickly, with minimal intervention in the public thoroughfare.
5. Its modules are very resistant to impact and weather and they have four anchor points in the road surface.
6. It is customizable, as the modules can be painted in different colors.

The integration of the bike lanes of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.

With the construction of the axis that runs along Passeig Taulat, the Barcelona City Council took a very important step in integrating the infrastructure of the city’s bike lanes with that of neighboring Sant Adrià del Besòs.