The creation of a walkway south of the railway line between Largo de São Francisco and Centro Ciência Viva, with the installation of two new jetties «with triple the capacity of the current one», as well as the requalification of the roads connecting Largo da Estação in Faro off São Francisco are two of the works that the Chamber of Faro intends to carry out with the financing of around 16 million euros that it secured from the bank.
The list of works that will be carried out with this funding, the hiring of which was approved at the Municipal Assembly on 3 November, is completed with the construction of a new roundabout on the EN125, in Pontes de Marchil, and with the Ecovia do Litoral, between Faro and Olhão.
The most expensive work, which will have an estimated cost of 8,5 million euros, is the “Extension of port infrastructure in Porta Nova”.
As explained to the Sul Informação Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of Faro, this work consists of the construction of a walkway over the Ria Formosa, parallel to the train line and to the south of this infrastructure, «with two underpasses, one in Largo de São Francisco and the other in Porta Nova, at the site of the current level crossing , which will be deactivated».
More than a pedestrian area, this walkway will provide access to two new berths «with triple the capacity of what currently exists in Porta Nova», where river routes to the islands can be boarded and disembarked.
«This will naturally allow for more schedules, that was also the objective. Currently, there are boats that have to wait to dock,” she explained.
Also in downtown, the “Requalification of the Central Axis of Downtown Faro”, a work estimated at 3,3 million euros.
«We are talking about the requalification of Avenida da República, from the CP Station square, passing through Jardim Manuel Bívar, the area in front of the fire department [Cruz Lusa] and continuing to the São Francisco square», described Rogério Bacalhau.
«We will also build a new roundabout next to the old Commands, in Pontes de Marchil, which will connect to the future 3rd Circular, but which will also serve Montenegro, providing another alternative access to this location», illustrated the mayor in Faro.
Construction of the roundabout is estimated at 2,4 million euros.
The fourth project for which the municipality guaranteed funding, in this case 2,2 million euros, is the connection between Faro and Olhão da Ecovia Litoral, «a project that has some complexity, as it involves the construction of several jetties, since we are in the middle of the Ria Formosa».
This investment will connect to what has already been done in Olhão and guarantee a cycling and pedestrian path south of the railway line and the EN125 between the two cities.
The loan was taken out from Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo do Algarve, which, among the various banking entities consulted, was the one that “presented the most advantageous proposal for the Municipality, with the interest rate indexed to the 12-month Euribor average, in the month prior to the installment, plus a spread of 0,33%».
«Through this financing, the Municipality makes it possible to carry out new investments in the municipality, since, using only its own capital, it does not have the financial availability to support them», illustrated the Chamber of Faro.
Rogério Bacalhau revealed to our newspaper that the Chamber will not stop looking for possible co-financing for the different works, but that he preferred to guarantee the necessary funds straight away, «similar to what we did with the Bordeira Cultural Center».
«Portugal 2030 notices should begin to be released soon and we will apply, whenever possible», he assured.
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