A bicycle path is being created on a section of the Barcal Road, which will thus become a general traffic route. Unfortunately, there is no connection to the Pina Manique traffic circle, through which the current Radial and Camping Park bicycle path passes.
A Pina Manique traffic circle in Benficawhere the Benfica Radial cycle path ends today and where it is nownitiates the recent cycle path to the Lisbon Camping Park should soon be the meeting point of two more cycle paths: one along the Calhariz de Benfica road, until very close to the train station, and another along the Barçal road that goes inside Monsanto.
However, the open competition for the construction of the section on Estrada do Calhariz de BenficaThe project, which had been launched in June this year by EMEL, was eventually canceled due to an error in the documentation of the process. But the cycle path on Estrada do Barcal is being built at the moment as part of a larger project to calm traffic in Monsanto. The forest park is one of the areas of Lisbon with the least cycling infrastructure, despite its potential for utilitarian cycling routes - especially electric bikes.
The Barcal Road cycle path
The section on Barcal Road - which had been designed in 2015 and was included in a public tender in 2017 - will start at the Vila Guiné traffic circle, a few meters from the Pina Manique traffic circle, and unfortunately there is no connection to the existing cycling infrastructure in this area.. Thus, from the Radial/Campismo cycle path, it will be necessary to take a little bit of the busy Monsanto Road to the reformulated Vila Guiné traffic circle, which crosses the Barcal and Outeiro roads.
The new two-way cycle path will start almost at the beginning of Estrada do Barcal: in the first few meters, the road will remain two-way so as not to block access for residents of the area. Guinea Village. With the new lane, Estrada do Barcal will now have a single direction one way road from south to north, i.e. from Vila Guiné towards the old shooting range - today Monsanto Secret Spot - just before the Monsanto Interpretive Center (CIM). This is where the two-way cycle path ends, although Estrada do Barcal continues to the Serafina traffic circle where it intersects with Estrada da Serafina and Avenida 24 de Janeiro. In the area of the old shooting range, cyclists are re-routed to a pre-existing trail but can of course also follow the road..
On a visit to the site, Lisboa Para Pessoas found some markings of the cycle path already made on practically the entire length of Barcal RoadThe road is to be resurfaced, with the exception of some sections that were being resurfaced. According to the project description, this resurfacing is planned in three widenings made to the road - one to allow parking, another to fit a bus stop and a third to facilitate a left turn, already in the final part of the intervention near the old shooting range.
On the Vila Guiné side, it is planned to create a small side trail to Estrada do Barcal in the part where it maintains two directions, between the end of the cycle path and the traffic circle, to prevent cyclists coming from the cycle path or wanting to access it from being left without an answer. "The trail should be marked on natural terrain, duly cleared, cleaned and compacted, similar to the other trails identified on the outskirts of the Intervention.", reads the description. However, Lisboa Para Pessoas found no sign of construction on this trail, although work on the Vila Guiné traffic circle appears to be almost complete.
The new cycle path on Estrada do Barcal will be similar to the one that already exists along Estrada da Belavista and which allows access to the Monsanto Panoramic.
Speaking of the traffic circle, the intersection of Vila Guiné is no longer signalized with this calming intervention. The road space has been shortened in some parts, sidewalks have been improved, pedestrian crossings are now better signposted, eyelets have been placed at each traffic circle entrance/exit, and anti-slip flooring has been laid in critical parts. All these measures aim to calm traffic without the need for traffic lights. "In addition to the conversion of the traffic circle to a more traditional format, the entire solution was based on the premise of eliminating the traffic light system. The materialization of the separating islets will require greater deflections, which in turn will translate into lower traffic speeds ", the project description reads.
Calm in the Montes Claros
In addition to the Guinea Village traffic circle, The Montes Claros traffic circle is being repaired.This roundabout is located in another part of the forest park. Equally busy, this traffic circle is crossed by Estrada do Penedo, and also allows the connection to the Montes Claros park/restaurant, on one side, and to the entire pedestrian and cycling area around the Keil do Amaral Amphitheater.
In this traffic circle, the widths of the roads are being reduced and the pedestrian space is being widened to improve the comfort of those who cross there, the buses will have new stopping areas and the width of Estrada do Penedo will be reduced in the southern section with the creation of parking spaces. In total, 42 spaces will be created for those who want to access Keil de Amaral. As is already the case today, "access to Alameda Keil do Amaral will be reserved for emergency and maintenance vehicles. To this end, the sidewalk platform of this road will be raised, being level with the pedestrian promenade along an extension of about 38 meters"..
The traffic circle will have a similar appearance to Vila Guiné or Serafina, which was intervened in another project. The description also states that "to avoid undesirable crossings on the road network and as a way to promote the safety of pedestrian circulation, wooden barriers are provided around the perimeter of the roads".
The current contract also provides for safety improvements at the Belavista Road junction (that of the Monsanto Panoramic where there is a bidirectional cycle track similar to the one that will now be implemented on the Barcal Road) and the Serafina Road, near the access to Avenida de Ceutaand adjustments to eight pedestrian crossings throughout the forest park. You can find the full documentation below.
It is a pity, however, that these calming interventions do not take seriously the creation of utilitarian cycling infrastructure in the Monsanto forest park. For example, from Estrada do Barcal it would be possible to follow Estrada da Serafina, from here take Estrada da Belavista and reach Montes Claros, taking here the section of Estrada do Outeiro that is closed to traffic and that allows access to the cycle path of the Camping Park.
This route alone would allow us to go around Monsanto and access several of its points of interest, such as the Interpretation Center, Keil do Amaral or Montes Claros. It should be noted that the University Pole of Ajuda is just a few meters from the Montes Claros and could also be connected to this network. Monsanto also has the opportunity to connect neighborhoods such as Ajuda or Belém to the parish of Benfica, but also to Campolide. Despite the steepness of Monsanto, it is easily overcome by electric bicycles.
The traffic calming solutions already planned for Monsanto include three more interventions, which should be carried out in other contracts: they are at the intersection of Estrada do Alvito and Estrada da Pimenteirain intersection of Estrada do Alvito with Alameda Keil do Amaral (East) and in Olive Cross Roundabout.
