Portugal’s infrastructure authority has announced that it will be carrying out “urgent roadworks” before the summer on the Algarve’s EN125, EN124 and EN396 roads.
The works will cost around €1 million and last a maximum of 45 days while the public tenders are due to be launched today (Tuesday).
In a nutshell, the works aim to solve a number of issues that drivers have been complaining about for years.
The Infraestruturas de Portugal statement says that the works will lead to “significant improvements” to the “comfort and safety of the local population as well as the thousands of tourists who visit the Algarve on holiday”.
The works are being divided into three separate projects.
One encompasses improvements to the pavement and traffic signs on a 38.1km stretch of the EN125 between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António, while the second foresees a revamp of a 9.9km section of the EN124 road between Porto de Lagos and Silves.
Finally, a series of roadworks are also planned along 18.6kms of the EN396 in Loulé near the A22 motorway bypass.
IP has also announced that it plans to carry out renovations to the bridge over the Almargem stream, located at the 138.750km of the EN125. The works are expected to last 180 days and will be carried out in two phases in order to not affect traffic.
Meantime, the Court of Auditors has provided its own explanation about the delays that have prevented the start of the full-fledged roadworks on the eastern section of the EN125.
The entity has revealed that it is still waiting for IP to send clarifications to the court before it can give the roadworks the much-needed thumbs up.
On more than one occasion, government officials have blamed the Court of Auditors for the delays.
However, the court claims that IP’s request to renegotiate the subconcession contract with Algarve Litoral – and give the jurisdiction of the eastern part of the EN125 back to the state – was only received on October 27, 2017.
But as the request was not correctly submitted, the court returned the document to IP.
It was only three months later, on March 14, that a new renegotiation contract was sent back to the court, which on March 28 asked for some clarifications about the process.
But thus far, it has yet to receive a response.
IP refuses to pay for more roundabouts in Lagoa
Local newspaper Lagoa Informa has reported that Infraestruturas de Portugal is not willing to pay for any more roundabouts in Lagoa, although the roadworks that were carried out on the EN125 in the borough have caused some serious issues to local businesses.
This is mostly because of the solid white lines that have forbidden overtaking on large sections of the road, and which force drivers into huge detours in order to turn into certain roads.
The biggest issue in Lagoa is in the eastern part of town, where drivers on the EN125 have to go all the way to the new roundabout near the International School (before Porches) in order to turn back if they want to reach local bank Bankinter or garden centre Sanipina, for instance.
IP says that the new roundabouts and traffic changes were meant to reduce the number of road accidents on the EN125. According to the newspaper, the infrastructure authority is willing to carry out some changes to ease traffic in the area so long as the local council or “affected companies” cover the costs.
michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com
