This new project is part of an infrastructure package to be revealed soon. According to Jornal Económico, the immersed tunnel will cross the Tejo River, connecting Oeiras, in Lisbon, to Trafaria, in the municipality of Almada, Setúbal.

In addition to the construction of a new bridge over the Tejo, which will be the third after the existing 25 de Abril and Vasco da Gama bridges, this tunnel has been requested by mayors and residents of the South Bank for a long time.

According to Expresso, socialist municipal deputy Pedro Dias Pereira reported that the construction of this tunnel will last seven years and cost an estimated 1.1 billion euros. This proposal, which dates back 30 years, aims to decongest the overloaded 25 de Abril Bridge.

The main objective of this infrastructure is to alleviate daily congestion on the current bridges, facilitating traffic between Lisbon and the South Bank. It is estimated that the total investment could exceed one billion euros.

During the conference “Portugal 2030: Strategic Future for the Construction Sector”, organised by the Association of Civil Construction and Public Works Industrialists (AICCOPN), the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, confirmed the inclusion of this tunnel in the national strategic plan.

The event also served to announce a new strategic port plan for Portugal. According to the minister, this plan will be essential to modernise the infrastructure network and strengthen national competitiveness.

Another point highlighted by Miguel Pinto Luz was the need to guarantee a motorway connection between Portalegre, Beja and Sines. This demand has been a concern for various sectors of society and will be included in the new investment package.

Although the need for new crossings has been discussed for years, this is the first concrete project presented with an implementation plan. Still, there will be technical and logistical challenges to be faced during construction.

Authorities have reinforced that the project will be developed with the highest standards of safety and sustainability. The integration of modern technologies will be essential to ensure the viability and efficiency of the infrastructure.

Although the official announcement is expected soon, the Ministry of Infrastructure did not want to give more details about the road tunnel. The expectation is that more information will be revealed by the prime minister in the coming weeks.