Environmental agency ‘Polis Litoral Ria Formosa’ has launched a public tender for the construction of a new bridge to Faro island.
The bridge will cost €2.5 million to build and is expected to be completed in 2019.
It will be 181 metres long and 4.70m wide (2.70m for the road and 2m for pedestrians and cyclists).
The plan is to build the new bridge next to the existing one, which will be demolished once the new bridge is completed.
The tender was published in the state newspaper Diário da Républica on Tuesday (November 7) and set a 30-day deadline for proposals to be presented by construction companies.
The selected builder will then have 540 days to complete the works.
Faro mayor Rogério Bacalhau says the construction of the bridge is a “long-awaited” project that will provide “more safety and comfort” to those travelling to and from the island.
Ilha de Faro or Praia de Faro, as it is also known, is one of the town’s most popular attractions. Known mostly for its long stretch of pristine beach, it is a highly sought-after destination for watersports.
It is also one of the barrier islands that separates the sea from the Ria Formosa estuary.
