Cycling between Armação de Pêra and Salgados will be “a luxury”

The works will cost around 1 million euros.

The works already underway next to Salgados beach

Work on the new section of the Ecovia do Litoral between Armação de Pêra and Salgados beach started in April.

The first phase involves the construction of a wooden walkway with a length of nearly 1.700 meters, for walkers and cyclists, from Lagoa dos Salgados to the mouth of the Alcantarilha stream. Rosa Palma, mayor of Silves, the entity that promotes the work, even revealed that there will be «ua metallic structure to go over the stream'.

Ecovia do Litoral is a project that is developed along the coast, connecting the municipalities of the Algarve, so that people can enjoy nature on foot or by bicycle.

The works that began in April on this section on the coast of the municipality of Silves will last for seven months, with the objective of regulating the use of coastal paths, thus contributing to safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity, promoting the management of territories for there is no human interference and encourage visitors to return there to see the natural wealth.

This section of the ecovia will connect the municipalities of Albufeira and Lagoa, through a walkway that will cross the coast of the municipality of Silves.

The initiative, the definition of the functional program of the project, the external contracting of the execution project, the launching of the work to the public tender, the contracting of the work, the execution of the contract and its financing model, are the entire and complete responsibility of the Municipality of Silves.

The project consists of two phases, the first being the one that has already started.

The second phase will link the municipality of Silves to that of Lagoa, from the Holiday Inn hotel (Armação de Pêra) to the ravine of Vale do Olival, crossing a more urban context. At this stage, there will be an improvement in paving and lighting, as well as a remodeling of infrastructure, among other works.

The first phase of the work will cost 1,1 million.

Rosa Palma, president of the municipality of Silves, explained to the Sul Informação that this «was a work that had been long sought after», but that it was stopped due to a «blockage» that it was only now possible to overcome.

The intervention, added the mayor, will make it possible to defend the “wealth of the ecosystem” and “enjoy the natural space”.

«The project is about preserving primary dunes that have unique characteristics and biodiversity. It was decided to preserve it, to be able to use this area in a controlled way, so as not to damage what is one of the most valuable in terms of the environment», explained Rosa Palma.

«The Ecovia/Ciclovia project is one of the most significant works in the Municipality of Silves. I believe that through the promotion and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage, we are making a valuable contribution to the affirmation of Armação de Pêra and the Algarve as a tourist destination of excellence. I must point out that the construction of the ecoway/bikeway is part of a set of smooth mobility routes, preferably aimed at the use of bicycles, but also for pedestrian walks, providing the enjoyment and discovery of the landscape».

For his part, Ricardo Pinto, president of the Parish Council of Armação de Pêra, said he felt “proud, as it is a work that will be very important. People may not understand the impact that this could have on the economy of our parish, but we believe that the means of communication and the connections between the territories are very important so that there can be dynamics at various levels. There is a set of possibilities that opens up when this work becomes a reality».

Before, in the municipality of Silves, the ecovia was distinguished by blue lines painted on some secondary roads away from the coast and connecting to the municipality of Albufeira. With the new walkways, the route approaches the coast and allows connecting three municipalities.

 


Ecolane/Cycle path from Lagoa dos Salgados to Armação de Pêra

The 1st phase comprises a rural/natural section – in a wooden structure, parallel to the dune cord, from the existing walkway between Lagoa dos Salgados and Praia Grande, in the parish of Pêra, to the Ribeira de Alcantarilha, in the parish of Armação de Pêra, in an extension of 1660 meters, featuring a width of 3 meters, including the crossing of that water line through the construction of a bridge in metallic structure, with about 230 meters in length, the width of 2,5 meters, with guards on both sides.

O urban section it extends along the seafront of Armação de Pêra, ending next to the Holiday Inn Hotel (1620 meters), with floor marking. The value of the contract amounts to 1,1 million euros, with an expected execution period of 7 months;

A 2nd phase of the work, with an approved project, also under the full responsibility of the Municipality of Silves, awaits the launch of the respective contract to a public tender.

This 2nd phase comprises an urban section between the Holiday Inn Hotel and Barranco do Vale do Olival, on the edge of the municipality of Lagoa.

This phase of the project includes the remodeling of existing infrastructure on Avenida Beira-Mar (water, sanitation, rainwater, public lighting), sidewalks, parking, paving and the implementation of Ecovia/Ciclovia with a base price for tender in the order of 500 thousand euros.

The works of the 1st and 2nd phases were the subject of an application for community funding (CRESC 2020 and Turismo de Portugal), with the work of preparation and execution, of the entire and complete responsibility of the Municipality of Silves.

 

 

Photos: Cátia Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

 



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