A positive project, with impacts “of no significant importance” and which “shows environmental viability”. These are some of the conclusions of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) for the Circular of Olhão, the variant to the EN125 in this municipality, which is under public consultation until the 12th of June.
Those interested in learning more about the project and the different alternatives can consult all relevant documents on the “Participate!” website.
Second the non-technical summary of the EIA for the Infraestruturas de Portugal project, which will carry out the work, two layouts were studied, both for a road about seven meters wide and one lane in each direction.
The planned solutions intersect at various points, in order "to allow combinations between the two general outlines", the document reads, which can be consulted in full here.
The study concluded that the so-called solution B, which is the closest «to the design of the Algarve Litoral Sub-concession project, namely Alternative 1 of this project and which was previously submitted to the EIA procedure», is the «most favorable ».
This alternative follows the corridor foreseen in the Municipal Master Plan, «with slight adaptations for a better insertion or to avoid situations of demolition of buildings present in that corridor».
See detailed images of both solutions:
Solution B «is also in line with the current guidelines of the understanding between Infraestruturas de Portugal and the Municipality of Olhão regarding the reduction of the characteristics of this variant, namely through the use of part of the existing municipal roads and the reduction of the typical transversal profile of the road to be built, thereby minimizing the opening of new channels and the affectation of uses, in an area that is marked by agricultural occupation and areas included in the National Agricultural Reserve».
«Based on the evaluations carried out and on the comparative impacts of Alternative Zero (without the project), it is concluded that the project is positive and presents environmental feasibility, for any of the studied alternatives, although Solution B is globally presented as more favorable compared to to Solution A”, concludes the technical summary of the EIA.
In other words, the conclusion of the current study is that the best solution is the same that was approved in the Environmental Impact Assessment carried out at the end of 2011 and 2012.
This work ended up never moving forward, taking into account that, in 2012, the Variant to Olhão was withdrawn from the concession Rotas do Algarve Litoral, at the time when the management of the EN125, between Faro and Vila Real de Santo António, was once again under the responsibility of Infraestruturas de Portugal.
This was not a peaceful project, having even led to the creation of a committee of residents, which managed to change the original idea.
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