The EN120 road has been closed in Odeceixe, Aljezur since March, causing traffic headaches for locals
Local leaders in the Algarve are calling for an “immediate and definitive” solution to the closure of the EN120 national road in Odeceixe, Aljezur, a stretch that’s been shut down since March due to heavy rain damage.
The Algarve Municipalities Association (AMAL) – representing all 16 municipalities in the region – launched its call to action on Thursday, urging authorities to restore traffic flow and end the disruption that is, according to them, “penalising the lives and economy of Aljezur and the Algarve” as a whole.
Given how important the road is to local communities, AMAL believes that the “seriously negative consequences” of the road’s closure must be addressed as soon as possible.
“The solution to this problem cannot be postponed any longer,” the association says, joining the desperate calls for a solution which have been made by the local council of Aljezur since April.
The matter was discussed at AMAL’s latest meeting last Friday (May 9) when the mayor of Aljezur shared the letter he sent to authorities demanding action.
The road has been shut down since March 19, a decision described as “unavoidable” as the road was on the brink of collapse after being battered by storms and weakened by last year’s devastating wildfire.
At the time, the council pointed the blame for the precarious state of the road multiple governments and national infrastructure authority Infraestruturas de Portugal, which the council accused of “disinterest and lack of investment” in the road’s renovation. Since then, IP has announced the launch a project to carry out “repair and stabilisation works” at kilometre 128.6 of the EN120, with the goal being to commence the works “as quickly as possible.”
However, no works have started yet, and the council has called for a stronger guarantee that the issue will be dealt with.
“It’s not just a road that’s in poor condition. It’s about the dignity and territorial cohesion of a region that has been forgotten,” says local mayor José Gonçalves.
The council has already sent out letters voicing its concerns to the President of the Republic, Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, as well as the Algarve and Alentejo’s regional development commissions (CCDR Algarve and CCDR Alentejo); and several other local and regional entities.
