[P] Highways and Motorways in Portugal • Auto-estradas de Portugal

[Nephasto]

Why to increase to 130km/h?

It's not really an issue... well, people talk... that it should be raised to 140 or something... but nothing serious.
I personally don't see it necessarilly as something good... 120 is good as it is. People already go at 140km/h, and the police usually doesn't fine up to 140km/h.
If the limit was raised it would just make people go at 150/160... making things unsafer... it's good as it is.

And besides, it's 120 all over the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain), so we are not isolated.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Nephasto

The max speed is indeed 120km/h in Portugal, but I think (though not sure) the limit is 90km/h or something in CRIL, because it's an urban expressway. It's not even signaled as a motorway, although I don't think there's any reason for that. It should be signaled as a motorway... just an urban one, with a lower limit.... as it happens in Oporto ring road (IC23), which is an urban motorway, limited to 90km/h.

For air quality etc reasons, when you get quite near central Stockholm the motorways go down to 70 km/h (110 then 90 then 70)! :p

[Reivajar]

I'm not sure, but generally in urban area speed limits on motorways and expressways are lower.

In Paris speed limits go down from 130, to 110, then 90...et finally 80 km/h on the BP (I can't be wrong with numbers, but moreless that's the idea).

In Madrid they go down from 120 to 100, then 80 and then 70 (it depends on stretches).

I guess it's more linked to traffic jams and to exists and access accumulation in urban areas than to environmental problems.

[Nephasto]

It's above all related to safety reasons.
It's not safe to go at 120km/h in a motorway full of cars and with lots of exits and onramps, like an urban motorway.

[ChrisZwolle]

That is correct. Though i recently saw a report from some German government organization that showed the same fatality rate at Autobahnen without and with speed limits.

[ADL2040]

Here is the link to the road movie that i made this January, to show you the two bridges of my city, including the 18 Km long Vasco da Gama Brige, europe´s longest.

The roads are 2ª Circular (inside Lisbon), A 12, IC 32, IC 21, A 2 and 25 April´s bridge.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...59527720972133

[Nikom]

Wonderful Video my friend
I really like it

[Dan]

What are the main new road stretches opening in 2008 (and when)?

[ADL2040]

Another video, another roads. This time it´s the A 9 CREL -Lisbon´s outer ring road, the A 10 that begins in Bucelas and crosses the river Tagus near the village of Carregado with a 12 Kms long bridge.
In this same trip i show you the National road 118, IC 3 freeway, a small part of the A 12 motorway, the Vasco da Gama bridge (this time northbound) and 2ª Circular, already in Lisbon.

Video duration: 1 hour and 27 minutes.


Here is the link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=1

Thank you for watching.

[ChrisZwolle]

Those are long movies. Can we download them anywhere?

[ADL2040]

With RealPlayer v11 you can download. In my pc everytime that a video starts on a web site it shows to me a small text box asking if i want to download the video.

There are also Youtube Downloader and other like that.
http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/

[Fern]

Originally Posted by Nephasto

Yes. That last stretch of CRIL (IC-17) that's missing is being really hard to build.
It's supposed to finally start now, but there are many critics to the project, because it will have rather sharp curves and lots of tunnels...
Max speed will probably be 80... and they better install some radars to enforce it.

There wouldnt be a problem if the area wasnt so built up and demolishions were allowed. Its interesting to note that many new developments were erected in the area even though the councils involved in their aproval knew the motorway was supposed to pass through the area. I really cannot understand why they did not expropriate the land needed right from the very beginning.

Originally Posted by Nephasto

And the 2nd one is almost for sure the A2, near it's end, at Algarve... in the last stretch where it goes throw some low montains... and it become 2x3 (though it's not particularly steep: 3, 4% max) whitch is great... and the geometry is still perfect like the rest of A2.

I'd say it's probably one of the the motorway stretches where people speed the most here in Portugal... 2x3, low traffic (execept on hollidays), perfect geometry, a gentle downwards slope. What else can you ask for?

Especially when there's lateral winds

[edolen1]

Wow, that's a nice trip round Lisbon! I'd love to drive down the Vasco da Gama bridge someday! Will you take me next time, Fernie?

I'm wondering, is the Portuguese motorway network nearly complete or is there a lot of construction to be done still?

[Fern]

Yeh sure, you could have asked before u know

So far we have 2475 km's of motorways and the government plans to have 500 more built in the next few years meaning that the PRN ("National Road Plan/Network") should be completed by 2015.
This includes the Marao tunnel which will, when completed, become the longest in the country (almost 6kms!). Construction should begin this year.

[edolen1]

Wow, sounds cool! Where is that tunnel gonna be btw?

And thanks hunny!

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to drive on some of your awesome highways, as well!

[Fern]

My pleasure

It will be part of the last section of the A4 to be built, and will connect Vila Real to Bragança through the Serra do Marão.

[edolen1]

Oh cool! Is Braganca connected to the motorway network currently?

[Fern]

No, that's why they are always complaining about the fact that they're the only major city in Portugal not connected to the motorway network.. but not for long!

One small correction to what i said before- the new section will connect Amarante to Braganca through Vila Real. The stretch between Amarante and Vila Real, including the tunnel, will cost 375 million and run for 30 kms. Completion is planned for 2011. The rest will be 165 kms long and be completed within 6 years.

[edolen1]

Hmm, will this be an upgrade of the existing IP road or will a completely new stretch be built? I took the bus from Porto to Vila Real and it went on that IP road and I have to say the quality of the road was very good, mostly 4 lanes, if I remember correctly!

[Nephasto]

From Amarante to Vila Real it will be completelly new(including the tunnels) and it will be tolled.
From Vila Real to Bragança (and the spanish border) it will be an upgrade (to motorway standards... the actual road is just 1x2 or 1x3) of the current IP4 on about 75% of it's length or something.