Major Infrastructure Project Advances
A tunnel boring machine from Lisbon's General Drainage Plan (PGDL) will be relocated from Santa Apolónia to Beato between 11 PM on Monday and 6 AM on Tuesday, as announced by the Lisbon City Council, which expects significant traffic disruptions.
Impact on Traffic and Schedule
A source from the Lisbon City Council told Lusa that "due to the size of the transport [of the tunnel boring machine], it will cross Avenida Infante D. Henrique twice, leading to a major impact on local traffic, especially during the mornings of September 23 and 24." LASO Transportes, responsible for moving the H2OLi tunnel boring machine, confirmed this.
Machine Specifications and Project Details
The tunnel boring machine, which is 130 meters long, has an external diameter of 6.4 meters and a cutting head weighing 70 tons. It will begin constructing the second tunnel linking Beato to Chelas, covering a distance of approximately one kilometer.
Previous Tunnel and Timeline
The first tunnel of the PGDL, spanning five kilometers from Campolide to Santa Apolónia, started construction in December 2023 and was completed on July 22 of this year. The second tunnel is expected to be finished by the end of 2026.
Investment and Historical Context
With a total investment of around 250 million euros, the PGDL was first announced in 2006 but only moved forward in 2015 under then-mayor Fernando Medina (PS). It is considered a crucial project to combat floods and inundations in the capital. Major interventions, including tunnel construction, began in 2023 under the current presidency of Carlos Moedas (PSD). The project includes an investment of 79 million euros for 2025.
Function of the Tunnels
The two tunnels will collect water from high points such as Monsanto and Chelas, as well as additional capture points along their route, including Avenida da Liberdade, Rua de Santa Marta, and Avenida Almirante Reis. They will channel the water to the receiving environment, the Tagus River, at Santa Apolónia and Beato, according to information on the PGDL website.
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