EM351 road to undergo major intervention
Major roadworks are due to begin soon on Portimão’s busy EM531 municipal road – a key route connecting Penina to Montes de Alvor – causing traffic disruption throughout the coming weeks.
The road, which serves as one of the main access points to Alvor and the Portimão municipal aerodrome, is in such a sorry state that the intervention “could not be delayed any longer,” the municipal council says.
The work will be carried out in two phases: the first, taking place from May 12 to 19, will involve roadworks between the Penina roundabout and Penina church. Traffic will alternate in each direction and be managed by traffic lights, with support from local authorities. The second phase, starting onMay 19 and lasting approximately 3 weeks), will cover the section between Penina church and the aerodrome, which will be fully closed to through traffic. Only residents and aerodrome users will be granted access, depending on the progress of the roadworks.
Due to the limited capacity of local detour routes – including Chão das Donas, Sesmarias, and Bemposta – the council strongly advises heavy vehicles and passenger buses to avoid the area entirely. A better alternative is to bypass the road by entering Portimão via the EN125 or EN124, then continuing along the Paul Harris and V6 avenues towards Alvor via regular access roads.
Meanwhile, the council says a broader project is already underway, with negotiations and expropriations are underway for over 40 parcels of land. This will eventually allow for the EM 531 to be expanded to two lanes in each direction, with pavements on both sides.
While recognising the impact that these roadworks will have on frequent users of the road, the council underlines that this is a “long-awaited and absolutely necessary intervention, both for those who live in the area as well as those who use (the road) on a daily basis.”
