Work Starts on Urban Transformation

Regional Minister Sílvia Paneque and Igualada mayor Marc Castells marked the start of construction on the FGC rail trenching project in Igualada on Tuesday 06 October 2026. The €41.5 million investment will bury a 417-metre stretch of the FGC Llobregat–Anoia line between the Odena stream bridge and Igualada station, eliminating the level crossing at Avinguda Montserrat. Paneque, head of the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, stressed the project’s importance for safety, urban regeneration, and connectivity with Vilanova del Camí. "Today we begin a long-awaited journey with a railway project, but we are also building city," she said.

Safety and Urban Regeneration Goals

The level crossing at Avinguda Montserrat, one of the last remaining on the FGC network, currently interrupts traffic for around 10,000 vehicles daily, according to the minister. Its removal will improve safety for pedestrians, including students from two nearby schools, and allow uninterrupted traffic flow. The project will also free up 7,500 m² of public space above the buried track. A total of 21,000 m² will be urbanised, including streetscapes along Carrer del Carrilet and Avinguda Montserrat. A new roundabout will be built at the junction of Passeig de Verdaguer and Avinguda de Pau Casals.

"When we do renovations at home, they’re very disruptive, these works will be too," Paneque acknowledged, urging residents for patience.

The current Igualada FGC station will be fully underground with a central platform, replacing the existing side platforms. It will include lifts, escalators, fixed stairs and street-level access to ensure full accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

A key part of the project is a new 70-metre-long, 4-metre-wide metal footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists, running parallel to the rail line to connect Igualada with Vilanova del Camí. This will improve active mobility and create a shared central area between the two settlements. The works are divided into civil engineering, track, and urban integration phases, with a 28-month execution period. The tender for overhead line installation will be launched soon. The architectural and non-railway installations project has already been drafted by the regional government.

Broader Regional Mobility Vision

Paneque highlighted that FGC infrastructure promotes territorial equality and sustainability. Mayor Castells echoed this, calling the project a turning point comparable to the original arrival of the railway in Igualada. He urged Paneque to continue advancing the "Tren Gran" project, the local name for the future Transversal Railway, to further boost the town’s central role in Catalonia’s transport network. According to the FGC 2025 Integrated Management Report, the intervention aims to reduce the urban, visual and acoustic impact of the railway, enhance public transport offerings, and improve inter-municipal connectivity.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by FGC Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, transparencia.fgc.cat, [email protected];[email protected];[email protected], La Ciutat, Regió 7.