Solar eclipse on August 12: Roads closed — but for whom?

Solar eclipse on August 12: Roads closed — but for whom?

Key question: Do the widespread closures really protect the island — or do they create new problems that have so far been overlooked?

Authorities have tightened the traffic rules for the big day: on Mallorca many access roads to the Serra de Tramuntana and to popular viewpoints will be temporarily completely closed to car traffic. New is that exemptions for motorcycles and mopeds have been removed — so there will be no through traffic if you want to go by scooter to Cala Deià or along the Ma-10. The closures are generally due to take effect from 3 p.m. and remain in place into the evening; an earlier start is possible if traffic builds up sooner.

That sounds decisive, and protection against congestion and wildfires is a worthy goal. It becomes critical, however, when looking at implementation: there is a lack of transparency about how typical everyday situations will be handled. Who gets the tradesperson to the mountain farmhouse if a pass is not sufficient? What happens with hotel deliveries or rescue trips if queues form at the closure points? Many of these detailed questions are left out of the information packages.

A scene from everyday life: on a hot July morning in Sóller the cashiers at the market hall click away, a few scooters are already parked on the square in front of the church, taxi drivers wave to guests. If closures suddenly appear on August 12, this means for these neighborhoods: quieter, yes — but also potentially cut off, if it is not clarified in advance how supply chains and emergency services will be allowed through.

The safety concept uses 26 official observation zones with room for several hundred thousand people. On paper this relieves the mountains because visitors are guided away. In reality there is a danger that too many people will be concentrated at too few points and the infrastructure there will be overloaded: parking shortages, lack of toilets, water supply, waste — all of these are logistical problems that have so far been hardly discussed publicly.

Particularly sensitive is the balance between traffic control and emergency access. Police posts at closure points are supposed to regulate passages for residents and emergencies, but when queues stretch along the MA-10 there is little room to manoeuvre. Also: how are foreign guests on buses supposed to be informed about changes? Which languages and which digital tools will be used? Without clear communication the number of lost visitors who park in side streets and thus block emergency routes will increase.

What is missing from the public debate can be summed up as follows: clear rules for businesses and care workers, concrete alternative routes with scheduled frequencies, coordinated shuttle systems, a digital permit system with QR codes, adequate provisions at the observation zones (shade, water, toilets), and a roadmap in case a fire breaks out or a medical emergency occurs simultaneously.

Concrete proposals that could be implemented quickly include: temporary park-and-ride sites with shuttle buses from Palma and Manacor; dedicated corridors for emergency vehicles; digital checks with short-term electronic permits; clearly visible, multilingual signage along the MA-10, Ma-11 and access roads to Sóller; additional volunteer helpers from municipalities for information stands; and fixed points for drinking water and mobile toilets at the official observation spots.

On the subject of shipping: there is so far no ban on boat trips, but monitoring by rescue and coastguard services. That approach is fundamentally correct, but it needs to be clearer how anchoring bans, distance zones and emergency communication at sea will be regulated — especially because boats can add pressure to the coast if beach access on land is closed.

Those who are on Mallorca on August 12 should prepare for two things: calm in places that are cordoned off — and crowds at the official zones. Practically, this means: plan ahead, set off earlier, use public and organised transport offers, and do not rely solely on spontaneous scooter trips.

Conclusion: the intention to direct crowds and reduce fire and congestion risks is understandable. To ensure the measures do not become the source of new problems, more details, better communication and pragmatic alternatives for residents and businesses are needed. If the authorities close these gaps, the island can get through the unusual celestial event safely. Let us hope the next meeting decides not only on new closure signs but also on concrete shuttles and water dispensers.