The Tagus Estuary Linear Park in Vila Franca de Xira is growing northwards. It will be possible to go from Alverca to Parque das Nações, by the river, on foot or by bicycle.
A seamless walk or cycle along the entire riverfront of Lisbon, Loures and Vila Franca de Xira is closer to becoming a reality. If today it is already possible to go from Lisbon to AlvercaThere is still an interruption in the route between Alverca and Alhandra, in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira, along a continuous riverside path, part of which is made up of wooden walkways. However, this interruption will become shorter in 2025.
The Vila Franca City Council started construction work on another section of the so-called Tagus Estuary Linear Park. This park, which connects to Loures River Pathwill win 4.9 kilometers longer e an additional 14.1 hectares of land. This extension will be next to the Alverca wastewater treatment plant and the Portuguese Air Force facilities (Alverca Aerodrome), which are currently barriers to public enjoyment of the River Tagus.
The extension of the Tagus Estuary Linear Park will be developed in a similar way to its existing infrastructure. In this sense, the new paths for pedestrians and cyclists will be created using raised wooden structures (walkways), but there will also be sections whose sidewalk will be dirt and gravel. In all, two new cycle paths will be created - the Gates Trail (3.32 kilometers) and the Salgados Trail (594 meters), and the Tagus Trail will be extended by another 990 meters.
The Tagus Estuary Linear Park will have several areas for contemplating nature, the richness of the riverside and its biodiversity, several birdwatching spots, some seating and resting areas with benches, as well as five shading tunnels, which will provide areas of shade during the hottest periods. In addition to the aforementioned trails, the following will also be created Salgados WalkwaysThe 1.12-kilometer stretch will be located in a 7.6-hectare wetland area made up of reed beds, reed beds and salt marshes.
In this project, the Tagus Stadium Linear Park will reach very close to SobralinhoHowever, the intervention will have a second phase, which will take place at a later date. This second phase will include three new cycle paths, the transformation of Tesos Beach into a river beach for public use, and also the extension of the Verdelha Trail into the interior of Alverca. There will also be a number of overpasses over the railway line at a later date, making it possible to establish new links between urban areas and riverside routes.
When the first and second phases of the Tagus Estuary Linear Park are completed, it will be possible to walk or cycle continuously from Sobralinho, a village between Alhandra and Alverca, to Parque das Nações. The second phase has no timetable yet, but the first phase should be ready in 2025. The work has a total cost of 6.18 million euros and was awarded by public tender to the construction company Mota Engil. The contract was awarded in February and work began in November.
With the work underway and the promised second phase, the Lisbon metropolitan area will be one step closer to having a cycle route along the river, at least between Vila Franca de Xira and Lisbon. All that remains is a short stretch between the Sobralinho and Alhandra. The completion of this section is made difficult by the fact that the Cimpor cement factory is located there. Already in Alhandra, a continuous pedestrian and cycling path starts towards Vila Franca de Xira.
Repairs in progress
It's not enough to build new, you also need to repair. That's why Vila Franca de Xira council has launched a contract to repair the various wooden elements along the existing Tagus Estuary River Linear Park and at Praia dos Pescadores.
This work will run until the end of this year and represents an investment of approximately 158,000 euros. The aim is to repair damaged elements and replace warped ones, in order to restore them to good condition and enable them to be used safely by people on foot or by bicycle.
"Over time, the various wooden elements present in these places show signs of degradation, requiring monitoring, upgrading and maintenance work, particularly in terms of shading structures, wooden railings, street furniture, decks, palisades and walkways. These corrective maintenance interventions are recurrent, permanent and constant"explains a local authority source. This intervention does not imply an interruption in circulation for users, but only a reduction in circulation space for safety reasons.
