Bypass to Portal do Vento will have major environmental and tourism effects and improve access to Sete Cidades, says Berta Cabral - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, stated today that the construction of the bypass to Portal do Vento in Sete Cidades is of paramount importance. Not only because it will create an alternative road to the current regional road accessing the parish, but also because it will contribute to the preservation of the environment and tourism quality of the area surrounding the Vista do Rei viewpoint.

Berta Cabral spoke at the headquarters of the Regional Secretariat in Ponta Delgada at the end of the awarding ceremony of the works contract, a project included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) under Component 7 - Infrastructures.

With a base price of 1.2 million Euros and a completion period of 180 days, the work proceeds with the construction of the bypass that will connect directly to the Portal do Vento intersection, stretching approximately 400 metres.

This work will reduce the route to and from the parish of Sete Cidades by about 2 Km and also includes an elongated rotary intersection that will connect Regional Road no. 9-2 (Ponta Delgada/Sete Cidades) to Regional Road no. 8-2 (Covoada). Additionally, it will provide access to a long-term car park and a one-way branch road to the Vista do Rei viewpoint. The intervention also includes earthworks, drainage and paving works, ancillary works, placement of road signs and installation of safety equipment.

"We have a successful strategy with regard to sustainable tourism development and, accordingly, works such as the construction of the bypass to Portal do Vento are particularly important from an environmental and tourism perspective. There are also other visiting sites with problems to solve, such as, for example, the access to Lagoa do Fogo, but we are working with our technicians, whose expertise I emphasise, to overcome this situation," she said.

"As for the other bypasses to be built on the islands of Terceira, Santa Maria, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial, as part of the RRP, the respective projects and tenders are underway with a view to reaching 2025 with all our procedures completed," stressed Berta Cabral.

In the 2023 Plan, the Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures has an overall allocation of 250.8 million Euros, of which 87.7 million Euros will be invested in public works.

Berta Cabral stated that the 2023 Plan is "more demanding, as the amount allocated for public works comprises all areas of governmental intervention and is intended to improve the quality of life of the population."

According to the Regional Secretary, 14.8 million Euros are planned for the upgrading of roads under the PPR: 7 million Euros will be invested on São Miguel Island, 3 million Euros on Faial Island, 1.5 million Euros on Pico Island, 1.4 million Euros on Santa Maria Island, 1 million Euros on São Jorge Island, 500 thousand Euros on Graciosa Island and 400 thousand Euros on Terceira Island.