The city of Lisbon will be in a state of emergency, starting next Wednesday, due to various projects that are happening in the city at the same time and should take two years to complete. The Lisbon city council will review the measure in the next few months and is considering keeping the traffic restrictions in place after the operation.
From Wednesday, April 26, cars, tourist buses, tuk-tuks and all vehicles that are not residents or workers will not be able to circulate in Baixa de Lisboa, announced the Vice President of the Lisbon Chamber, Anacoreta Correia, this Tuesday morning, at a press conference . Vehicles weighing more than three and a half tons will be allowed to travel at night, between 8 pm and 8 am. There will be police to inform drivers of the new rules and signs on several streets in the historic center of the city.
Avenida 24 de Julho, “already closed for several months, will have another obstacle next week”. “It is possible to use the bus route on Avenida 24 de Julho for a while, a temporary measure, which aims to respond to this obstacle, which will continue until July if there are no excavations that will delay it,” said Anacoreta Correia. .
“On Avenida Brasília, it will be possible to move in both directions and in Cais do Sodré, a circular walk will be preferred and a minimum crossing to avoid congestion, as it is today”, added the Mobility councilor.
All these obstacles represent the disruption of traffic along the river and Avenida 24 de Julho, between Avenida Infante Santo and Avenida Mouzinho de Albuquerque, in both directions. Instead, the Lisbon City Council wants to extend the “5th Ring” road, between Avenida Infante Santo, through Estrela, Santos and Avenida Almirante Reis to Mouzinho de Albuquerque. “There is a possibility to solve the problems that exist on the banks of the river and in the historical area from above. Those who come from Belém and Algés should love the surrounding farm,” he said.
The expansion of the Metropolitano de Lisboa and the General Drainage Plan, as well as the intervention of the city’s sanitation, forced the Lisbon Municipality to explain the reduction of these vehicles “in some areas for a long time”, admitted Anacoreta Correia.
The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, admitted that the measures will “disrupt people”, but stressed that, “these projects are important for the city”. He also emphasized the need to reduce traffic in this area of the capital, an old will of the city of Lisbon. “We have to reduce the number of cars that enter Baixa, people who would avoid coming to Baixa do not come. We will attract people, who often pass through Baixa, to enter the fifth street. traffic flow”.