Following the recent battle fought out in the media between José Vitorino, current President of Faro Câmara, and the previous PS administration over the condition of Faro Island bridge, there finally seems to be some progress being made on the issue.
An announcement was made by Faro Câmara that the bridge would be closed to traffic from September 28 to October 1, from 10pm until 7am, so that a comprehensive study of the structure could be made by the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC). Local residents were informed, via printed notices, and placards were placed at the entrances to the bridge. The GNR were kept informed of the situation and an emergency telephone number was issued in case access was required due to illness or accidents.
The Câmara asked for understanding and emphasised that they required the full co-operation of the general public in order for the important work to be carried out. They also promised that they were making every effort to ensure the safety of Faro residents as well as visitors.
The condition of Faro Island bridge was called into question in August when a communication from LNEC informed the câmara that the bridge was showing signs of deterioration. At that time, speed restrictions were put in place and the public were advised to use public transport where possible, in order to reduce the amount of traffic using the bridge. A political row ensued due to the fact that José Vitorino insisted it was the first time he had been informed about any problems concerning the structure of the bridge. He criticised the PS, accusing them of not handing over all the files to his administration, an accusation they fiercely denied.
