Aljezur has made a list of demands to restore traffic in the area
The municipal council of Aljezur is calling for urgent action to solve the traffic nightmare that has erupted in Odeceixe, where the crucial National Road 120 (EN 120) has been shut down since March 19.
Local officials say the decision to close the road was âunavoidableâ as it was on the brink of collapse after being battered by recent storms and weakened by last yearâs devastating wildfire.
The blame for the precarious state of the road is pointed towards multiple governments and national infrastructure authority Infraestruturas de Portugal, which the council accuses of âdisinterest and lack of investmentâ in the roadâs renovation.
The local authority also recalls that the National Road Plan foresaw the construction of a proper alternative – the IC4 road â which was supposed to connect Lagos to Sines, but after countless studies carried out over the years, no action has been taken.
In light of this âunacceptableâ situation, the council met on Thursday (April 3) to unanimously demand an âurgent and definitive solution to reopen traffic on the affection section of the EN120â; the construction of an alternative road linking the Algarve and the Alentejo that is safe and helps traffic flow; and the setting aside of funds in the next State Budget for the repair of municipal and secondary roads, which are âsuffering from an overloadâ of traffic due to the current bypasses in place, âparticularly in the parish of Odeceixe.
The council says it will follow the situation closely and inform the population about any updates, ensuring âall necessary measures will be taken to solve the issueâ. No further âdelays or negligenceâ will be tolerated by the council on this matter, âno matter the political consequences it may lead toâ.
