The government announced yesterday that it will install lifts for the footbridge outside the Public Security Police (PSP) headquarters and Nam Kwong Building (南光大廈) in Avenida do Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues (羅理基博士大馬路) in Zape.
In a statement yesterday, the Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) said that it had “recently” completed assessing bids submitted by several construction companies, adding that it now aimed for the project to get off the ground early next year. The winning bidder is required to complete the project within 300 working days.
According to the statement, the lifts will be equipped with barrier-free facilities, such as handrails, Braille buttons, control panels at a lower height, and verbal cues.
According to the bureau’s website, DSSOPT officials unsealed bids submitted by seven construction companies for the project early this month. All bids were accepted.
According to the website, the quotations proposed by the seven bidders range from 7.97 million patacas to 12.81 million patacas.
However, both the website and yesterday’s statement did not mention when the winning bid will be announced.
Avenida do Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues has a total of four footbridges. Currently, the footbridge connecting the PSP headquarters and the Nam Kwong commercial building can only be accessed via stairs and escalators. Only the newest footbridge in the avenue, the one outside the Central People’s Government Liaison Office building, is currently equipped with lifts.
Yesterday’s statement also noted that footbridges that have been newly completed in recent years are equipped with lifts and escalators, underlining that the government has been carrying out projects to install lifts at older footbridges where it has concluded that it is feasible to install such facilities.
The statement also underlined that only with favourable engineering conditions can lifts be installed at older footbridges in the city, such as sufficient space, geological conditions and underground pipes and cables, because of which, the statement said, land surveying needs to be carried out so as to assess whether lifts can be installed at an existing footbridge.
The statement said that DSSOPT officials had completed their land surveying for the footbridge outside Nam Kwong Building and concluded that it would be feasible to install lifts there.
This undated handout photo released by the Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) yesterday shows the footbridge outside Nam Kwong Building in Avenida do Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues in Zape.
