Pedro Calado changes bike path on Estrada Monumental

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

The Municipality of Funchal (CMF) is going to change the project of the cycle path, on Estrada Monumental next to the Baía Azul Hotel, to allow two lanes (Funchal-Câmara de Lobos and Câmara de Lobos-Funchal) as it existed before, thus avoiding that cars coming from Câmara de Lobos are obliged to go down through the aforementioned hotel. The change announced today by the President of the CMF implies that the cycle path is removed by about 100 meters, and the project may be resumed in the future if urban solutions are found, which currently involve 3 properties north of the Estrada Monumental .

During the electoral campaign, Pedro Calado had already made the commitment to find an alternative to the problem of traffic congestion that currently exists in that area. The president of the CMF considers it urgent to take a decision at this point in terms of the future, taking into account the foreseeable increase in housing that will be built in that western zone. For Pedro Calado, it didn’t make any sense, given the limitation of lanes, to favor a cycle path to the detriment of car traffic, which is currently a necessity for the entire population. The works were stopped, but they have already been resumed. Completion is scheduled for late January to early February.

Pedro Calado also announced that after completing this contract, he will open a new tender procedure, to remove the central dividers and pins in the path of the bike path at Ponte do Ribeiro Seco, creating there a privileged lane for the circulation of priority vehicles and passenger transport, work which is expected to be completed in March of next year. “We cannot do it sooner, because we are talking about a work that had the approval of the Court of Auditors and, legally, we are obliged to comply with deadlines and procedures, but we urgently have to rectify what was not done well”, stressed the president of Funchal City Hall.

From Diário Notícias

Do they actually use the cycle lanes, because from my experience driving through funchal, they don’t, so I believe its all a waste of money, and so much work that isn’t needed.

I will have to get photos of this to prove the point that they are hardly used.

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Tobi Hughes

17 Responses

    1. Should be looking into safety, cutting cement products is illegal in public spaces unless suppression of dust is done.

    1. We were there for 2 weeks earlier this month and didn’t see anyone using the cycle lanes at Ribiero Seco. We thought the lanes were ready for the invasion of cyclists from the Aida cruise ships?

      1. Just like in many areas in UK, there isn’t space for cycle lanes in Madeira without removing from roads.

        People just need to learn to share the roads and civil about it

  3. I agree with Tobi. It is a total waste of money building this cycle lane. It is extremely rare to ever see a cyclist using it. They started building it last year at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. Instead of helping pour residents they wasted money on this. When I questioned it I was told that it was EU money that had to be spent on roads in a “green” way so they decided to build a cycle path. How many people cycle in Madeira? Have you seen the mountainous terrain? Another EU screw up.

    2. They take their bikes for the dangerous small footpaths near of the hedge of the ravines when I was in Madeira visiting my mother I did do a few hikes and I did see them using their bikes in a few places despite say very clear not to be use in the signal post

    3. Maybe the loan from the EU should have been used to upgrade, or should I say, to restore + maintain, the lavada walks. Tourismo would benifit, while keeping it a green project so that when the EU inspesctors come, (haha) to see what they have done with the money……?

  4. The new cycle lane from Avista Restaurant past Reids Hotel to the end of the bridge must have cost a fortune and what a waste of money. I live right on this road and it has made life very difficult. The traffic builds up and its hard to get out of your drive to join the traffic. The amount of time and wasted fuel due to stationary traffic must be costly to the car owners and the environment. I have watched for long periods of time to see who is using it and its very rarely used by cyclists only by an odd runner or a walker who prefers the cycle lane to the busy pavement. This project was so badly thought out. Reducing traffic to one lane on a very busy main road causing traffic jams and delays. Cyclists who do want to use the track going towards the bridge to Avista need to cross several lanes of busy traffic to get onto the track so they just stay on the road defeating the whole object of the lane. The money ( European or not) could have been better used.

      1. It’s not just the money that’s wasted on these projects it’s the total lack of due diligence to look at how these changes will effect people’s lives. From the build up of traffic, cost to the environment and how an emergency vehicle can get past on what is now one lane on a main artery into and out of Funchal. This new part of the cycle track near Reid’s Hotel makes no sense whatsoever.

  5. But they been using their bikes in dangerous walk between Portela e Marocos when I made that hike they did across in a small narrow footpath and if they made a mistake they can fall down in the ravine and says very clear in the signal walk isn’t for bikes.And next people under why their is accidents ? They don’t fowl the rules .

  6. A lot of EU money is loans and should/ need to be paid back but even if not a loan, who is doing due diligence at other end, the only major cycle use in Madeira,is people who are training for cycle events and they want,steep and hard in both up and down mode, not sedate cycle lanes that are shared with walkers and runners.

  8. I support the cycle lane as it should reduce traffic on the main area used by most tourists getting about and many walk into town via the Rua Monumental. The noise and exhaust fumes should reduce plus there is the alternative Rua Rua Velha da Ajuda running parallel and north of the Rua Monumental which has very light traffic and traffic should be encouraged to use this route.

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