The mayor of Vila Nova de Famalicão, Mário Passos, yesterday joined the mayors of Trofa and Maia, Sérgio Humberto and António Silva, respectively, to mark the completion of the 2nd phase of the contract for the National Road 14 bypass, which corresponds to a stretch of around 10 kilometres, between Via Diagonal, in Maia, and the Trofa Road-Rail Interface.
The ceremony, presided over by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, took place late on Sunday morning, 14 July, and was attended by the Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz.
With the completion of this contract, which involved an investment of 32 million euros, the completion of the EN14 bypass is only awaiting the construction of the last section, 2.4 kilometres long, between the Trofa Road-Rail Interface and Santana, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, which includes a new bridge over the River Ave.
The work is already underway and will be finished in the summer of 2025, with an investment of 12 million euros.
Yesterday, Mário Passos once again emphasised the strength of this export axis made up of the municipalities of Famalicão, Trofa and Maia, pointing out that the alternative to the National Road 14, which has been demanded by this region for decades, is only a reality thanks to the persistence and joint efforts of the three municipalities and the central state.
‘We're getting closer to finalising a process that has given us many headaches and required a lot of effort, but which I'm sure will be crucial for the development of this region and the country,’ added Mário Passos.
The strength of the territory was also recognised by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who pointed to the region as one of the ‘most dynamic in the country’. ‘It sets an example to Portugal that we are capable of being at the forefront,’ he said.
It's worth remembering that this process began in 2018 with the start of work to widen and improve National Road 14, between the southern roundabout of the East Bypass to Vila Nova de Famalicão and the town of Santana, in Ribeirão, and with the construction of a new access road to the Famalicão Sul - Lousado business area and the connection to the future crossing over the Ave river.