As the Deputy Mayor for Mobility, Transport, and Sustainability under Mayor Ada Colau (2019–2023), Maristany was the public face of the plan to build 21 new superblocks across the city’s Eixample district.
Barcelona’s public transport was rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, which had decimated ridership. Simultaneously, the system faced a "heatflation" crisis: record summer temperatures were making underground stations unbearably hot, and rising energy costs threatened operational budgets.
Furthermore, his tenure at TMB has seen labor tensions. Unions have accused management of understaffing, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns. Maristany has responded by emphasizing that automation and efficiency are necessary to keep the system solvent, a position that puts him at odds with some of his left-wing allies. What defines Jaime Maristany is his ability to translate radical goals into bureaucratic language. He is a politician who will cite engineering standards and EU funding regulations in the same breath as social justice manifestos. In an era of polarized soundbites, he is known for long, data-dense PowerPoint presentations. jaime maristany
He faced fierce opposition from business associations, delivery drivers, and some residents who feared gridlock. In countless interviews, Maristany deployed his engineering calm. He would pull out data showing that 60% of public space was dedicated to cars, which moved only 20% of the population. His argument was simple: this is not an aesthetic choice; it is a mathematical and public health necessity.
While the project moved slower than activists hoped, Maristany successfully implemented the Consell de Cent green axis—a 3.5-kilometer linear park crossing the Eixample—proving that the superblock model could work on a massive scale. In June 2023, following municipal elections, Maristany was appointed President of TMB, the consortium that runs Barcelona’s metro, buses, and funiculars. He took the helm at a delicate moment. As the Deputy Mayor for Mobility, Transport, and
In the complex ecosystem of Barcelona’s city government, where political coalitions often blend ideological activism with technical governance, Jaime Maristany stands out as a distinctive figure. A civil engineer by training and a politician by conviction, Maristany has become one of the most influential—and occasionally controversial—voices in the city’s transformation over the last half-decade.
His early political work focused on the "Right to Housing" movement. He was a key advisor on housing policies during Colau’s first term, helping to design measures like the regulation of tourist apartments and the creation of public housing stock. This dual focus—mobility and housing—is rare, as most politicians specialize in one. For Maristany, the two are inseparable: a transit stop defines where affordable housing is viable, and housing density determines what transit is sustainable. Maristany rose to prominence as the primary defender and explainer of Barcelona’s most famous urban experiment: the superilles (superblocks). The superblock model reclaims street intersections and through-roads, converting them into citizen spaces for play, walking, and greenery while rerouting traffic to perimeter roads. Furthermore, his tenure at TMB has seen labor tensions
As Barcelona prepares for future challenges—from the expansion of El Prat airport to the climate crisis—Jaime Maristany remains a central figure. Whether he succeeds or fails, the city’s evolution will bear the unmistakable imprint of the engineer who believes that the street, like the home, is a fundamental right.