Barcelona under construction: Building the future or demolishing the present?

Barcelona has always been a city in motion, but in recent months, that motion has transformed into an endless traffic jam that threatens to slow the city's pulse. Construction work seems to have multiplied incessantly and, as streets are torn up, traffic intensifies and merchants see their customers vanish behind fences and impossible detours. A greener, more modern Barcelona is expected, and it probably will be. But the question that keeps repeating in our heads is: How do we retailers survive until that future arrives?

Urban transformations are essential to build a more sustainable and attractive Barcelona, but the commercial present cannot be relegated to the background. In the heart of the city, on La Rambla, merchants have seen their incomes plummet between 50% and 80% since the works began six months ago. Tourism has fallen due to restricted access, closed streets, and lack of communication. It's a real and palpable problem. And this is not an isolated case. Local businesses throughout Barcelona are suffering the consequences. The experience of moving around the city is becoming very unfriendly: getting around has become a challenge, even for Barcelonans themselves, who increasingly move less outside their neighborhoods to shop. Meanwhile, the occasional visitor, finding a chaotic city, directly opts not to come.

The Manhattan precedent: more mobility, worse sales

Barcelona is not the only city facing this dilemma. In Manhattan, the implementation of the congestion pricing zone has generated a paradoxical scenario: although circulation is more fluid for those who can pay, commerce has lost out. The CEO of the luxury transport company Urbanride, Jeremy Milikow, recently pointed out that his elite clients now move faster than ever through New York, while the average citizen has been expelled from the central streets, unable to afford the $9 daily toll.

The data confirms it: improved mobility has not translated into more sales. In fact, Midtown stores have experienced a drop in transactions, as spontaneous customer traffic has decreased. A clear lesson for Barcelona: facilitating circulation should not only benefit a few, but also preserve the city's commercial vitality.

A transformation that does not suffocate commerce

The underlying problem is not whether the city should change, but how that transformation is carried out. If the goal is to improve mobility, sustainability, and quality of life, the strategy must include palliative measures for commerce, which is one of the most vulnerable sectors during these transitions. There is a need for common-sense planning that coordinates times and zones so that the impact is progressive, not a sudden blow.

It is essential to offer clear and accessible information so that residents and merchants can adapt without unpleasant surprises every week. And, of course, real support for local commerce is needed, with concrete measures that help them survive. What is at stake is not just the aesthetics or design of a modern city, but the very soul of Barcelona: its small shops, its streets full of life, the pulse of its neighborhoods.

We cannot let transformation make us lose what makes us unique

It is also vital to transparently inform merchants and residents about the duration and scope of the works, as well as to implement clear signage that facilitates access to affected commercial areas. Promoting alternatives to private vehicles, such as efficient public transport and active mobility (like walking or cycling), can alleviate congestion and help maintain customer flow. Barcelona cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of other cities. We cannot let transformation make us lose what makes us unique. Because there is no point in building the city of the future if, when we finally get there, there is no one left who wants to live in it.