The D. Maria II bridge over the river to the east of Lagos has been closed for 18 months but the plan for a parallel bridge for traffic, leaving the old bridge for pedestrians, has received the approval of the CDU coalition.
The CDU wants to press ahead with the construction of a new bridge over the Bensafrim river and in an open letter the coalition explained that the ideal solution to the dangerous state of the old bridge is a new construction.
"The CDU believes that this solution will be, quite simply, to build a new bridge to the west side of Pingo Doce where there is an existing road network connecting to the street network near the roundabout."
The new road bridge would, in practice, "be completely identical to the damaged bridge and provides direct access from the left bank” according to the CDU.
Before the D. Maria II bridge was repaired in 1950 it was for pedestrians only and this plan will "please all interests, public and private, urban, cultural, and commercial," said the coalition, noting that to “miss this opportunity will be an unforgivable urban and cultural crime."
Lagos council under the previous mayor Júlio Barroso (PS) applied for EU funds to restore the damaged bridge but this project remained on the drawing board. Barroso commented on the new bridge plan, back in February, "This option is new and gives a quick solution for the rehabilitation of the bridge, but unfortunately this is very unlikely to be done this year."
The bridge has a long history not without incident as it suffered severe damage due to the 1755 earthquake, was rebuilt in 1783, and in 1805 flood water destroyed three arches which were replaced in 1807. It was renamed in honour of Donna Maria II (1834-1853) and the last major repairs were undertaken in 1958 and again in 1960.
