One of the biggest and most common flaws of municipal bike paths networks is their connectivity with neighboring municipalities. In a metropolitan area like Lisbon's, that connectivity is important to ensure that whoever arrives in Benfica can continue on a segregated bike lane to Amadora or that beyond Algés you can continue cycling safely, for example.
With partial funding from the Environmental Fund, EMEL will implement five inter-municipal bike paths, between the municipality of Lisbon and neighboring Odivelas, Amadora, Loures, and Oeiras. In all, there will be about 20 km of bike lanes, of which 5.6 km will be worked by EMEL in the city of LisbonThe remaining kilometers are the responsibility of each municipality. To wit:
- Lumiar - Odivelas: 2.1 km;
- Benfica - Amadora: 5.4 km;
- Olivais - Moscavide (Loures): 1.4 km;
- Parque da Nações - Sacavém (Loures): 1.1 km;
- Restelo - Algés (Oeiras): 10 km.
These bike paths will represent, from EMEL, an investment of around 2.8 million euros - 650.7 thousand of which will come from the Environmental Fund, created by the Government to manage investments in the area of environment and sustainability. This is the same Fund that finances, for example, reduced fares on public transportation and the State subsidies for the purchase of bicycles.
The five inter-municipal bike paths on the outskirts of Lisbon should be ready by the end of 2022. The future connections will extend Lisbon's cycling network - which has become increasingly solid with about 150 of the promised 200 km already completed - beyond the city limits, promising to improve the lives of those who live in the suburbs and already use the bicycle as a means of transportation, as well as attract new users.
