The new bypass was opened yesterday between Almancil and the A22 to Faro link road just to the north of the Algarve Stadium.
The journey, if heading west from Faro, will take drivers north of São Lourenço to reconnect at the roundabout at the bottom of the hill at Quatro Estradas where they can continue along the EN125, turn north to Loulé or head south to Quarteira.
The Troto bypass is 2.7 kilometres long and is part of Infraestruturas de Portugal upgrade of the Algarve coastal route under contractor Rotas do Algarve Litoral.
Access is either at a new junction just to the north of the Algarve Stadium junction or from the existing Almancil bypass. The new route will take traffic from the current overcrowded urban route that runs past São Lourenço. This will affect local traders sited between Almancil and the west of Faro.
The new bypass is no shorter than the existing road but is much faster with a 90kmph speed limit and no traffic lights, crossings or awkward junctions.
The €8 million cost for “the construction and completion of the bypass is a sign of the government’s clear intention to improve traffic circulation on the EN125,” said Guilherme Martins, Secretary of State for Infrastructures, at the opening ceremony.
“This new road will contribute decisively to people’s travels between Faro and the western Algarve,” he added.
Jorge Botelho, president of the Algarve municipalities association (AMAL), said the opening of the bypass is definitely “good news - it is a good thing it opened this summer,” adding it will help avoid bottlenecks during the high-season in an already overcrowded section of the EN125.
The opening marks the last bypass to be built as part of the EN125 renovations (Stage I) between Vila do Bispo and Olhão.
Others recently opened include the bypasses in Lagos and to the north of Faro which, for those traversing the capital, now saves upto 30 minutes per trip depending on the time of day.
The secretary of state announced that the EN125 renovations between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António in the eastern Algarve are to begin in 2017 but only once the Stage I renovations between Vila do Bispo and Olhão are completed which “should be no later than the end of 2016.”
Jorge Botelho said the renovations are way behind schedule, “I’ve always said that we can’t have first and second-rate Algarve citizens,” saying the entire EN125 has to be renovated, not just one half of it.”
