The River Tagus has always been the main link between our beloved Lisbon and the cities on the south bank, Almada, Seixal and Barreiro. The mega project Parque Cidades do Tejo, which many call megalomaniacal, could further unify this relationship between the banks.
The proposal is based on a central idea: the Tagus as a union and never as a barrier. Based on this assumption, the government has presented a project whose large-scale investment is to be distributed across four strategic axes:
- Arco Ribeirinho Sul (Almada, Seixal and Barreiro)
- Ocean Campus (Oeiras and Lisbon)
- Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon and Loures)
- Airport City (Benavente and Montijo)
Other areas of intervention are planned, such as the construction of more than 25,000 new homes and two new crossings over the Tagus: the TTT – Third Tagus Crossing (between Chelas and Barreiro), and a sub-fluvial tunnel (between Algés and Trafaria).
The most “radical” urban transformation in Greater Lisbon
There is absolutely no doubt that this is one of the most ambitious projects we have seen in recent years, with the aim of almost completely revitalizing the entire riverside area of Greater Lisbon.
With an intervention area of 4,500 hectares, this project foresees the construction of more than 25 , 000 homes, the creation of 200,000 jobs and significant investments in various sectors, namely transport, housing, leisure and culture, over the next 50 years.
Making the most of what is underused
According to the government (currently in management mode at the time of writing), this project was presented as a solution to revitalize areas that have been “standing still” for too long on the banks of the River Tagus, thus promoting greater integration between the metropolitan areas covered.
The inspiration is clear: the model applied at Parque Expo during Expo 98, the site that is now known as Parque das Nações.
However, for the Parque das Cidades do Tejo project, the government wants to see the municipalities involved even more actively.
The objectives set for this first phase of the project include:
- Urban regeneration: reactivation of former industrial sites and/or public land;
- Housing and employment: building 25,000 new homes and creating 200,000 jobs;
- Infrastructure: expansion of the public transport network and construction of new river crossings;
- Sustainability: promoting the circular economy and increasing the share of public transport in the areas to be affected.
The Parque Cidades do Tejo project in figures
The ambitious project, which is expected to take several years to complete, certainly with the usual budget overruns, takes into account the four strategic axes already mentioned:
Arco Ribeirinho Sul (Almada, Seixal and Barreiro)
The intervention area will be around 519 hectares, with plans to build 8,000 homes and create 94,000 jobs, as well as redeveloping the former Lisnave shipyards in Almada, including shops, services and cultural facilities, such as the future Ópera Tejo.
Ocean Campus (Lisbon and Oeiras)
The area to be intervened covers 90 hectares of land, where an urban park will be developed with spaces for major events, as well as a scientific innovation hub, and the prospect of creating 15,000 jobs.
Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon and Loures)
When Humberto Delgado Airport finally gives way to Lisbon’s new airport which, it seems, will be in Alcochete, Lisbon and Loures will have 400 hectares of available area, where around 9,800 new homes are already planned, among other services and accommodation such as leisure areas and green spaces.
Airport City (Benavente and Montijo)
Next to where the new Luís de Camões Airport is due to be built, which will have capacity for more than 100 million passengers, there is an area of 3,000 hectares to take advantage of, especially with the development of an industrial and scientific park linked to boating.
Industrial and scientific park linked to boating.
Other infrastructure investments
In order to support all the new areas, it will be necessary to invest – and a lot – in infrastructure that will somehow help this project reach completion, as presented by the government.
It is estimated that the initial investment will be around 26.5 million euros, with an overall budget of 15 billion over the next five decades.
This money will be invested in, among other things:
- Crossings of the Tagus River: the Third Road Crossing (Chelas-Barreiro) and the Algés-Trafaria tunnel (3 billion and 1.5 billion euros, respectively;
- Public Transport: expansion of the Lisbon Metro, Metro Sul do Tejo, Transtejo/Soflusa and creation of the Sustainable Intermodal Line (LIOS) between Oeiras, Lisbon and Loures;
- High Speed Rail: direct connection to the new Luís de Camões Airport.
We return to the exclamation we made at the beginning of this text: this will be one of the biggest investments ever made in Portugal, in a project that promises to transform a large part of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area into a global benchmark in sustainable urbanism.
Obviously, there will be numerous challenges and difficulties in implementing most of these measures, and public-private investment will be one of the biggest setbacks in bringing this plan to fruition.
However, if it comes to fruition, it will change our riverside map forever, as well as the relationship between neighboring municipalities.