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HomeGateway PlanFor the Planning Commission & City CouncilCan the Superblocks of Barcelona work in Arcata? Yes!

Can the Superblocks of Barcelona work in Arcata? Yes!

What are the Superblocks of Barcelona?

Barcelona’s Superblocks — Superille in Catalan — consist of nine city blocks in a 3×3 grid. Automobile and bicycle through-traffic is restricted to the perimeter streets. The interior of this square of nine blocks are shared-space, pedestrian-priority areas called Green Streets. Motor vehicles are allowed for accessing residences, public transport, disabled people, and emergency vehicles. Bicycles there are for local access and recreation only. The speed limit of 10km/hr — that is, 6 mph — also applies to bicycles and scooters.

Generally the traffic flow on an interior Green Street is in one directly only. In the photo above we can note that this street accomodates traffic in both directions. Toward the rear of the photo, on the right side, we can see  there is on-street parking for cars, and on the left we can see on-street parking for motorcycles, motor-scooters, and bicycles.

Barcelona introduced its first superblock in 1993, and two more in 2005, and six more since 2016. The architects Josep Lluís Sert and Le Corbusier introduced the concept for Barcelona in 1932. In 1958 architect Oriol Bohigas suggested joining nine blocks to for more modern mobility in the city planning. Barcelona’s 2024 Urban Mobility Plan envisions adding 20 miles of pedestrian-only streets and over 500 superblocks.

What is a Superblock?

In a general sense, the modern concept of a Superblock involves an area the size of multiple city blocks, with through-roads on the outside of the area. The road network on the inside of the area — if there are roads there at all — are typically very-low-speed traffic (under 10 mph) for local use only, with bicyclists and pedestrians as the primary users.

Please note that a different definition of superblocks was used throughout much of the 20th century in the design of planned cities and suburbs — as an alternative to grid systems. There was the same basic idea: Put arterial roads on the perimeter and discourage through-traffic in the interior areas by incorporating short, discontinuous roads and cul-de-sacs. The net result involved more driving, lengthier car trips, and a layout that intensely discourages biking or walking. This automobile-centric orientation is considered misguided and obsolete. 

Design of the Superblocks

Taken from the website themayor.eu

  • Pedestrians will have a top priority. Speed limits of 10 km/h (6 mph) will be introduced for motor vehicles. Urban services and emergency vehicles will have unrestricted access.
  • Streets will have no curbs. Asphalt will be replaced with paving stones and granite slabs.
  • The streets will be fully accessible and equipped with guiding elements, pattern block paving, traffic lights, and signage.
  • More benches, fountains, play areas and tables will be installed.
  • The current 1 percent of greenery will be increased to at least 10 percent with tree planting a top priority. Species with leafy foliage will be planted in central street sections. The pavement will be water-permeable and a system for reusing rainwater will be installed.
  • Lighting will be renovated to cater to the needs of people rather than vehicles.

Could we have Superblocks in the Gateway area or elsewhere in Arcata?

The Gateway Draft Plan and the Community Development staff have included discussion of the “Woonerf” concept, a shared-street plan in which pedestrians have the right of way, street play is encouraged, drivers cannot endanger or hinder pedestrians, and the speed limit is 12 mph. (See the draft Gateway plan here, pages 70, 71, 85.)  Having Woonerf streets in Arcata is also mentioned in the 2010 plan “Arcata Rail With Trail Feasibility Study and Operations Plan” (link here on Arcata1.com).

The bulk of the Gateway area is roughly 12 blocks long and 6 blocks long, and Arcata is of course far smaller than the city of Barcelona. So we’re not really set up for multiple 3-block by 3-block 3×3 grids — perhaps one or two, but not very many of them.

So instead of a 3×3 Superblock, how about something like a single 6-block by 2-block area for a Superblock, or 10-block by 2-block area?  That would be: Two blocks wide, ten blocks long, with the interior street being a limited-vehicle “Green Street” just like in the Barcelona Superblocks. Well, gee. What does that sound like?  Does that sound like the proposal for the L Street Linear Park?

The L Street Corridor and Linear Park

Below is an artist’s vision of what an L Street Corridor could look like. This image is on the cover of the “Arcata Rail With Trail Feasibility Study and Operations Plan” from 2010.

Doesn’t this look a whole lot like the photographs of the Green Streets in Barcelona?

From the article “L Street Pathway & Park — or another major road?

  • A Linear Park would be a jewel for Arcata. An area for us to enjoy every day and a noted destination for visitors. The redevelopment that the Gateway Plan promotes on those parcels along the Pathway/Park would have small shops and restaurants on the ground floors – all pedestrian-friendly and car-free.
  • Across the country (and all over the world) cities are taking out asphalt in order to create parks for people. We’re seeing this in Ukiah, in Portland, in New York, in Chicago, in Atlanta, in 15 locations in cities in the Bay Area. It’s a definite positive people-friendly trend, and an encouragement for a walkable community. Through strong past efforts we already have the makings of a wonderful Linear Park. We already have what other cities are striving for. Why throw this opportunity away?
  • The Gateway Plan is promoted as supporting non-vehicular transportation. Anything else exposes yet another of the many contradictions of the plan.
    Will Arcata become walk-and-bike friendly or not?
  • The Gateway Plan also calls for a park within 200 yards of housing. An L Street Linear Park running the length of the Gateway Area gives a good start to that goal.

 

Can the Superblocks of Barcelona work in Arcata? Yes!

Absolutely, yes.  Not on the scale of Barcelona, of course — but for the same reasons and to get the same results.

Less space for cars. More orientation for social interactions, people-friendly activities, and play. Alternative transportation opportunities.

From the City of Barcelona website:

The Four Future Challenges for the City
Transform Public Spaces
Improve neighborhoods and sites
Reactivate the economy
Promote sustainable mobility

Here in Arcata we have the same challenges. As to the solutions that the people and government of Barcelona are pursuing:  The L Street Linear Park can provide the same solutions.


 

References and articles on the Superblock concept

L Street Pathway & Park — or another major road?
https://arcata1.com/l-street-pathway-park-or-another-major-road/

L Street Pathway page – 18 specific articles on the L Street Corridor
https://arcata1.com/category/no-cars/

Bloomberg CityLab
Barcelona Will Supersize its Car-Free ‘Superblocks’
The Catalan capital’s celebrated pedestrian-first zones are expanding to cover most of the city center, Mayor Ada Colau announced.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-11/barcelona-s-new-car-free-superblock-will-be-big

The City of Barcelona website:
https://www.barcelona.cat/pla-superilla-barcelona/en/barcelona-superblock
https://www.barcelona.cat/pla-superilla-barcelona/en#noumodeldeciutat

Barcelona Architecture Walks
The main goal is: make cities and a city starts to be a city when you have public space. That requires less space devoted to cars and more devoted to people mingling, playing, and living together, in human-scale communities. It will take time and investment, over successive city administrations, for superblocks to become social superblocks.
https://barcelonarchitecturewalks.com/superblocks-post-car-urban-living/

The Mayor.eu
https://www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/reclaiming-city-streets-from-cars-barcelona-style-9938

https://www.planetizen.com/node/86881/barcelona-superblocks-aim-cut-down-cars
Barcelona ‘Superblocks’ Aim to Cut Down on Cars
Seeking relief from noise, pollution, and incessant traffic, the city of Barcelona has a bold plan to repurpose street space. “Superblocks” will route cars around the perimeter, leaving interior streets open for walkers and bikes.

The Guardian
Superblocks to the rescue: Barcelona’s plan to give streets back to residents
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/17/superblocks-rescue-barcelona-spain-plan-give-streets-back-residents?CMP=share_btn_tw

Cities Forum
Barcelona’s Superblocks (Superille in Catalan) became a part of global best practices for two significant reasons: a) Prioritising people over cars with a focus on accessibility, and b) following community participation rulebook.
https://www.citiesforum.org/news/superblock-superilla-barcelona-a-city-redefined/


Constricted by its medieval walls, Barcelona was suffocating – until unknown engineer Ildefons Cerdà came up with a radical expansion plan. Rival architects disparaged him, yet his scientific approach changed how we think about cities