Holidaymakers using Faro island soon will have new parking provided near the south west perimeter of the airport.
In work agreed between Polis Litoral Ria Formosa and contractors, cars can be parked and those wanting to cross the bridge onto the island can do so by foot or bicycle along a new kilometre-long path at the side of the existing road, which also will be resurfaced.
The old bridge stays until it either falls down or the council manages to decide on a sensible design, rather than the expensive flight of fancy previously suggested, and gets funding for a new one.
The pedestrian and cycling route from the car park to the island, to be built by MAJA Construções SA, is to cost €543,000 and the new car park €815,000 excluding VAT. The one kilometre walk from the car park to the bridge and onwards to the island's beaches will deter many in the height of summer but with summer congestion leading to traffic jams and ruined journeys, it is a step forward.
The president of Faro council, Rogério Bacalhau, spoke to Sul Informaçao expressing his satisfaction with the signing of the contract and hopes that the work will be completed before the summer rush that in recent years has seen severe congestion caused by traffic heading to and from the island at the same time.
The car park will take five months to build and it is not yet known whether this will be a free parking area, or charged for.
Thankfully, the Court of Auditors already has certified the two contracts and there is guaranteed funding, some from Polis and the remainder covered by the government.
Polis, the company infamous for its harsh treatment of Ria Formosa islanders while pressing ahead with a demolition programme agreed by the previous Minister for the Environment, may formally be closed down at the end of this month if a vote on the 16th goes against its motion to extend its remit for a further three years.
Faro council, a shareholder in Polis, has agreed that its mayor should vote against the continuation of the company which remains cash rich due to its lack of progress in carrying out a variety of projects in the Ria Formosa natural park area.
If the mayors of Faro, Olhão, Loulé and Tavira, all Polis shareholders, all vote against the continuation of the company led by Sebastião Teixeira this still may not be enough to close it down as the majority of shares still are in state hands.
Bacalhau is aware of the possible complexity if Polis is closed mid-way through building his car park and walkway to Faro island but assured Sul Infomaçao that the work will continue until completed and that it may take months to close the company as it is part way through other projects as well as the island link.
As for replacing the old bridge, Rogério Bacalhau considered that, with the projects agree last week, “two out of three ain’t bad.”
Comments
The present bridge is either safe to use or it isn´t. Recently it was declared unsafe, which is why we needed an expensive new one. What has changed?