Smooth Sidewalks for Enhanced Walking Comfort
In various locations across the Lisbon metropolitan area, traditional cobblestones are being replaced with smooth, anti-slip pavements to enhance safety and comfort for pedestrians. These improvements are primarily focused on steep areas and high-traffic zones.
On Almeida Garrett Street in Carnaxide, Oeiras, anti-slip slabs are being installed in place of the usual white limestone stones. This intervention follows a successful project completed in a nearby square and will extend to other similar streets. The aim is to provide greater comfort and safety, especially for those with mobility challenges, such as the elderly.
“We are replacing the [glass cobblestones] throughout the municipality with these anti-slip slabs,” said Isaltino Morais, President of the Oeiras City Council, in a recently published video on social media. Streets like Almeida Garrett, Antero de Quental, and Eça de Queirós have seen many complaints regarding the glass cobblestones, particularly in inclined areas where older individuals are prone to slips and falls.
Special Sidewalks in Benfica
The efforts are not limited to Carnaxide. In Benfica, Lisbon, the local council has recently renovated several high pedestrian traffic streets, laying concrete slabs for enhanced comfort for residents and visitors alike.
On Estrada de Benfica, a comfortable, continuous, and anti-slip pavement now exists between Fonte Nova and the commercial heart of the district. Similar enhancements are planned for Avenida Gomes Pereira, extending to the Train Station, as well as completing the Estrada de Benfica to the Portas de Benfica.
The comfortable pavement on Avenida do Uruguai also pays tribute to those who significantly contributed to the cultural wealth of the neighborhood. This so-called Ulmeiro Walkway was created to celebrate the reopening of the Ulmeiro Bookstore, featuring various cultural figures.
A Cultural Initiative
This cultural walkway has a context. The Benfica parish aims to gain centrality not only in relation to Lisbon but also to Amadora. It seeks to avoid being just a dormitory district, with culture becoming one of its strategic components.
The Carlos Paredes Auditorium, Palácio Baldaya, the newly opened Teatro Turim, and the forthcoming Municipal Library of Benfica enrich the cultural landscape of the area. Recently, with the support of the council, the historic Ulmeiro Bookstore made a return to Benfica after relocating a few years ago.
The traditional cobblestone will still have its place in historical sites and other locations where it is meaningful to showcase the true Portuguese pavement—with varied tones and ornaments. The aim is to replace simple white limestone cobblestones with smoother, more comfortable pavements in residential, commercial, and high pedestrian traffic areas, promoting greater safety and accessibility, particularly for the elderly and individuals with reduced mobility.
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