Parking on the sidewalk on Avenida Almirante Gago Coutinho remains, but now properly reorganizedin order to maintain a wide and continuous pedestrian channel on that artery. Even so, all drivers still need to be educated to avoid the temptation of abusive parking. At the beginning of 2022, the final works will begin.
A Almirante Gago Coutinho Avenue became impassable on foot, with a situation of authorized but unregulated car parking on the sidewalks, which went on for years. In order to finally solve the problem, EMEL and the Alvalade Parish Council went ahead at the beginning of April with the marking of longitudinal spaces between the trees, marking them on the sidewalk with yellow paint.
The color chosen suggests that this is a temporary intervention. Contacted by Lisboa Para Pessoas, EMEL explains that the The redevelopment of the bottom of Avenida Almirante Gago Coutinho, with the definitive marking of parking spaces and the construction of a cycle path, is scheduled for the beginning of 2022.. For now, progress has been made on a fundamental part of the process: the charging of the entire avenue (which remained one of the few places where people could park without paying), freeing up the sidewalks and places for residents and visitors at the same time (with the end of opportunistic parking).
On a walk along Gago Coutinho last week, Lisboa Para Pessoas found that, despite the improvements, abusive parking still remained in some parts of the avenue - namely where the pressure is greatest (near Areeiro and the clock traffic circle) - blocking the pedestrian channel. Although parking began to be charged on May 17, EMEL opted to establish a transition period over the last two weeks, allowing drivers to adapt to the new rules.
The company responsible for parking in the city explains that, at the beginning of April and in mid-May, it carried out two awareness campaigns in and around the area, "through information placed in letterboxes and in the intervention area". In the two campaigns, which were similar in nature, it was explained that the "The aim of the intervention was to improve the pedestrian zone and reorganize parking, and it was recommended that people park in Manuel Gouveia Park or in the nearby day-ticket zones". EMEL's work on Avenida Almirante Gago Coutinho now includes the "essential supervision, in order to guarantee proper compliance with the rules of civility and greater safety for all people".
When asked about the possibility of putting up bollards or flower boxes while the final work is underway, to block the temptation to park on a spine, EMEL referred any decision to the City Council or Alvalade Parish Council.
