As part of a cross-border cooperative project, Eurocity of the Guadiana, a proposal has been put forward to introduce a cycle lane to the Guadiana International Bridge, which crosses the Guadiana River connecting Ayamonte (Spain) and Castro Marim (Portugal).
Eurocity of the Guadiana is a project that links three municipalities – Vila Real de Santo António, Castro Marim and Ayamonte – and aims to support cross-border institutional cooperation.
Luís Gomes, President of Vila Real de Santo António’s municipal government, said, ‘currently the bridge over the Guadiana has two lanes in each direction, but both are narrow and those who pass traffic in the other lane realise it’s dangerous […] it is safer to make single lane, with greater width, and open up the space to create a bike lane in each direction’. He also indicated this measure may help reduce accidents.
The bike path would also connect two environmental protection areas, one on each side of the border. The wetlands attract local tourism, as they provide habitats to local bird species as well as birds migrating between Africa and Northern Europe.
