A1 Road in Portugal collapsed
How did the A1 Road collapse?
On the 11th of February, a dike/dyke or flood barrier eroded in the area of Casais (Coimbra). It was one of the dykes that channelled the Mondego River in the Lower Mondego region. The force of the river was then directed to the side of the A1 road which resulted in its collapse. See the image of A1 Road here.
If you live or are visiting Coimbra, check the news and follow authorities orders. Evacuation may be needed in the lower parts of the city of Coimbra and neighboring towns like Montemor-o-Velho.
Authorities had already closed the A1 road as a preventive measure in that region. Thankfully no one was hurt. However, the rebuilding process will be long. Brisa, the largest private motorway operator in Portugal, does not commit to a deadline for reopening the A1. It guarantees that maintenance was in order and that the rebuilding after the destruction of 9 km of highway will take time. Brisa has not committed to a date for the full restoration of traffic.
Apart from the A1 road, there are some roads around Portugal that have eroded due to the saturation of the soils with the water from rivers and rain. For example, a landslide occurred at the exit of the Rainha Santa Isabel Bridge in Coimbra, leading to traffic restrictions on that access road.The right lane is closed to traffic to ensure the safety of drivers.
Lisbon has also suffered some landslides. One of them occurred near the A5 motorway (Lisbon-Cascais), resulting in the closure of access to traffic.
The Portuguese government has already asked the National Civil Engineering Laboratory for an urgent technical and independent assessment of the main roads and critical infrastructures, like bridges, overpasses, tunnels, hydraulic passages, and support walls.
Other than A1 Road what options do I have?
Some trains have been cancelled and trails cut due to risk of flooding in the Coimbra Region. Read more here.
TAP will reinforce the Lisbon-Porto route with up to seven more flights per week and increased capacity at certain times, in order to meet the needs of the population affected by the closure of the A1 motorway.
Stay safe and follow our news and alerts. And of course the official alerts from Proteção Civil like this one related to the influence of depression Oriana on the Portuguese territory.
Update: Nine kilometers of highway remain closed in Coimbra region, in both directions, and are not expected to reopen in the next three to four weeks. Reconstruction work on the A1 motorway, is expected to begin this week. Alternatives: A8, A17, A25 or the Itinerário Complementar 2 (IC2).
Update 2: Work on the A1 Road completed. The road will reopen to traffic after a successful inspection. A1 reopened this Friday.
See more alerts here.
