The Porto Metrobus project between Casa da Música and Praça Cidade do Salvador, known as Anémona, will reconfigure the area: the station will be located in front of the Transparent Building and the stops will be changed.
“The final station will also be located on the Via do Castelo do Quejo axis, in a solution different from the one presented in the preliminary study phase,” can be read in the project for the implementation of the second phase of the Porto Metrobus. (Pinheiro Manso – Anémona), to which Lusa had access.
Previously, the station was planned in the area of the roundabout itself, but it was moved to the area in front of the Transparent Building.
“Using the space to the east of the road, previously occupied by a car park, will allow this station to be built, provide good facilities for STCP bus traffic and create a road on the right for the turn into TI. [transportes individuais] for Estrada da Circunvalacão,” the project says.
In this area, “the stops of the various public transport lines could be moved to Plaza Cidade do Salvador and Via do Castelo do Queijo to reduce the walking distance that would need to be covered between the different public transport systems.”
The construction of a metrobus station next to the Transparent Building makes it difficult to connect to the Porto metro in Matosinhos Sul, which Metro president Thiago Braga called in May 2022 “important to guarantee.”
The implementation design, put out to competition this month, suggests that the Metrobus station implementation “is not the most comfortable for users at the junction between BRT [Bus Rapid Transit, vulgo ‘metrobus’] and other TP lines [transporte público]”.
On the other hand, he argues that it “definitely reduces the amount of work needed in Plaza Cidade do Salvador and contributes to the extension of the BRT line to Estrada da Circunvalaçao or Matosinhos.”
Thus, at the Anemone roundabout itself, “the measures consist of creating a dedicated BRT channel for reversing on a smaller radius road” as well as “removing the curb separating the TP channel.” [transporte público]”, which “allows us to speed up the service of various lines.”
The station will also have “two small driver support areas”: a rest room and another building for meals and rest.
“The implementation and construction system of this equipment may undergo changes to ensure simultaneous support of the BRT line and STCP lines,” the project guarantees.
The route of the second phase of the Metrobus, between Pinheiro Manço and Plaza Cidade do Salvador, will be a two-way cycle path parallel to Parque da Cidade on Avenida da Boavista.
“This bike lane is 2.3 meters wide and is located next to the BRT channel. The separation of the bike path and the BRT channel will be achieved by a curb that is 20 centimeters wide and eight millimeters high, as well as separating the bike path and the BRT channel. The roadway will be implemented in the form of a curb 50 centimeters wide and eight millimeters high,” the project clarifies.
On 11 December, Metro do Porto announced a public tender worth €20 million for the second phase of the Boavista metrobus between Pinheiro Manço and Praça Cidade do Salvador, which is scheduled to enter service in 2024.
The stations Casa da Música, Guerra Junqueiro, Bessa, Pinheiro Manso, Serralves, João de Barros and Império are scheduled for first service, as well as the section to Anémona Antunes Guimarães, Garcia de Orta, Nevogilde, Castelo do Queijo and Praça Cidade. to El Salvador (Anemone).
The service vehicles, hydrogen buses similar to a conventional metro, will be built by a consortium that includes CaetanoBus and DST Solar, under a contract awarded for 29.5 million euros.
The Porto Metrobus will cost 10 million euros more than the originally planned 66 million.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.