Three new international bridges between Portugal and Spain will move forward following aligned decisions between the authorities of both countries. According to the newspaper Correio da Manhã, the projects concern connections over the rivers Erges, Guadiana and Minho, all discussed at the meeting of the Mixed Luso-Spanish Pontes Technical Commission, which brought together the public company Infraestruturas de Portugal and the General Directorate of Roads of Spain in Madrid.
The Commission dedicated a substantial part of the work to the investment planned for the IC31, a connection intended to link the A23 to the Spanish border. According to the same source, the central point of this axis will be the construction of a new international bridge over the Erges River, near the Termas de Monfortinho. The future crossing will make it possible to reinforce the connection between Lisbon and Madrid, since on the Spanish side there is already a highway that connects the capital to Moraleja, located around 20 kilometers from the border.
The newspaper writes that this road corridor could represent an alternative for more direct circulation between the two countries, reinforcing cross-border integration in an area where mobility currently depends on longer routes.
The most advanced project
Among the three interventions, the new international bridge over the Guadiana River, between Alcoutim and Sanlúcar de Guadiana, is the one that is at the most advanced stage. The publication adds that the agreement between Lisbon and Madrid has already been formalized, with the construction site and estimated investment being defined, which is around 13 million euros. The project also has financing through the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The same source states that this crossing could strengthen the connection between the riverside communities of the two countries, allowing improved road access in an area marked by long stretches and the absence of direct crossing points.
Caminha and La Guardia enter the map
Also on the table was the analysis of a new feasibility study for a crossing over the River Minho, this time between the town of Caminha and La Guardia, in Spain. The publication explains that this proposal arises in response to the increase in cross-border travel in the northern region and the need to evaluate new connection solutions.
According to the same source, the study will allow us to understand the capacity of the future bridge to respond to mobility demands, as well as the impact it could have on the current access system between the two banks of the Minho.
Additional agreements strengthen cooperation
The meeting between Portuguese and Spanish authorities also served to consolidate new international agreements related to other existing crossings. According to , technical aspects relating to the bridges over the Guadiana River and the Minho River were discussed, as well as the road-rail bridge between Valença and Tui, one of the main railway connection points between the two countries.
The decisions now aligned allow us to move forward with processes that, at different stages of development, could significantly change circulation between Portugal and Spain in the coming years.
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