Aljezur mayor urges politicians to commit to EN120 solution ahead of national elections

Aljezur mayor wants politicians to see for themselves the state of the EN120

With national elections on the horizon, the mayor of Aljezur is challenging the heads of list for all major political parties running in the Algarve to visit the western Algarve borough and see for themselves the sorry state of the closed EN120 road, particularly in Odeceixe.

Earlier this month, the municipal council called for urgent action to solve the traffic nightmare that has erupted in Odeceixe, where the road has been shut down since March 19. The decision was described as “unavoidable” as the road was on the brink of collapse after being battered by recent 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, the council wants 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. “It is fundamental that the Algarve’s future representatives in Parliament publicly take a stand and commit to this matter.”

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); the Algarve municipalities’ association (AMAL), and several other local and regional entities.

“With this new challenge, the council wants the issue of the EN120 to seriously enter the national political agenda and for candidates in the elections to demonstrate solidarity and commitment to the future of the region,” the council’s statement adds.

On April 3, the council had already met to unanimously demand an “urgent and definitive solution to reopen traffic on the affection section of the EN120”; 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 “suffering from an overload” of traffic due to the current bypasses in place, “particularly in the parish of Odeceixe.”