Four-Year Project to Begin Next Year
The city of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat will begin burying part of the Gran Via in April 2027, marking the start of a more than four-year transformation of one of Catalonia's busiest urban corridors. The work, confirmed by the city council, will lower the central lanes of the Gran Via between Rambla de la Marina and the Llobregat River, removing a long-standing physical barrier that has divided the city for decades. This phase is part of the approved PDU Biopol-Granvia urban development plan, which was given final approval in 2024 after earlier versions were annulled by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) in rulings between 2020 and 2021. The project covers approximately 97.7 hectares, most of which are currently used for agriculture north of the avenue or for residual, unregulated activities to the south.
Connecting Hospitals and Creating Green Space
One of the primary goals is to enable safe pedestrian and cycling access between Bellvitge University Hospital and Duran i Reynals Hospital. Currently, the Gran Via acts as a major roadblock, hindering movement between these key health and research centres. The surface level will be transformed into a large green boulevard, forming a central axis for the future Biopol biomedical cluster. The Generalitat has approved the allocation of 14 million euros in surplus funds to the Consortium for the reform of Gran Via to finance works and technical assistance. This funding supports the broader aim of creating a high-value economic and biomedical research hub in southern Barcelona, with significant expected impact on regional employment and GDP.
The transformation will reclaim urban space from traffic and create a unified campus for health, research and innovation.
Timeline and Disruptions
The tender for the project will be issued in autumn 2026, with construction set to begin in April 2027 and last until 2031. Residents and commuters should expect road closures and diversions affecting access to Barcelona, the ring road, and the A-2 motorway for over two years. Beyond the boulevard, L'Hospitalet plans a new park adjacent to the Biopol district, comparable in size to Barcelona's Ciutadella Park (excluding the zoo). It will feature around 3,000 trees, with construction expected to begin in mid-2029, overlapping with the final stages of the Gran Via works. Residents can follow the project's progress through the official participatory process hosted by the Generalitat at participa.gencat.cat, which includes public information sessions and updates on implementation.
Primary sources: inventariarxiu.l-h.cat, territori.gencat.cat, participa.gencat.cat. Reported by 20 Minutos Barcelona.
