Viaduct aims to limit circulation on accident-prone level crossing solely to pedestrians
Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) – the national infrastructure authority – has shared aerial photographs of Portimão’s new viaduct over the railway, which is at an advanced stage of construction.
The viaduct is part of the larger railway electrification project between Lagos and Tunes and aims to channel traffic away from the town’s accident-prone level crossing – where several people have died or been injured over the years – and limit circulation on the level crossing solely to pedestrians.
It will link two roundabouts at Rua Comandante Araújo (south of the railway, between the town’s riverside fish restaurants and the local railway station) and Rua Caldeira do Moinho (north of the railway, near the Portimão Arena).
According to the environmental impact study of the electrification project, the new viaduct will be 365-metres long and seven-metres wide, with two traffic lanes. It will also have side pavements on both sides of the viaduct.
A considerable amount of traffic is expected to be channelled onto the viaduct, as the level crossing which will close to traffic is located in one of the busiest areas of the town, very close to the Cardosas roundabout near the Aqua shopping centre and the northern entrance of Portimão.
IP has not revealed when the works will be completed nor when the viaduct is expected to open to traffic, although a statement by Portimão Council in 2022 had pointed to a 2024 completion.
