The Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) is putting special arrangements in place for Wednesday, 12 August 2026, for the solar eclipse and is asking navigation services not to route traffic through the town centre of Amposta (Tarragona) . The aim is to prevent traffic in the town centre from grinding to a halt and give priority to emergency routes, the traffic authority said on Tuesday.
According to the SCT, the measures include temporary restrictions on heavy goods traffic. Vehicles weighing more than 7,500 kilograms may not travel southbound on the AP-7 from Martorell (Barcelona), or on the N-340 from Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona), on Wednesday between 17:00 and 00:00. Lorries may travel northbound, but must keep to the right-hand lane and observe a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour. The Mossos d'Esquadra and local police forces will monitor compliance and manage traffic dispersal after the event.
The request to navigation services targets journeys through Amposta’s densely built-up centre, which would be particularly congested as a key junction in southern Catalonia. The authorities expect increased traffic because many visitors will travel to the south of the Autonomous Community to watch the solar eclipse at its peak. The Generalitat de Catalunya announced it would deploy additional staff to manage traffic and prepare temporary arrangements to ensure emergency vehicles can get through at all times.
Southern Catalonia, including the Terres de l’Ebre, is in the region of totality according to official information portals. The solar eclipse will be fully visible at its peak in these areas. Amposta therefore expects significant inflows from the surrounding area. The SCT is urging people to follow road signs and police instructions and plan their routes in advance. Stopping in traffic lanes or on hard shoulders to watch the natural spectacle is prohibited.
Key facts: The Servei Català de Trànsit has asked navigation services to avoid the centre of Amposta; time-limited restrictions apply to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes on the AP-7 and N-340 on 12 August; monitoring by the Mossos d'Esquadra will be stepped up. Context: Visitor flows to the Terres de l’Ebre, the region of totality, are expected. Outlook: Traffic is likely to flow more smoothly if the rules are followed; breaches increase the risk of congestion and obstruct emergency services.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).