The government’s Road Works Coordination Group yesterday announced a 90-day maintenance project on Friendship Bridge starting this Saturday, during which the number of lanes on the approach roads at both ends of the bridge will be reduced from two to one.
The group hosted a press conference yesterday at the Transport Bureau’s (DSAT) headquarters on Estrada de D. Maria II. The cross-departmental group consists of DSAT, the Public Works Bureau (DSOP), the Public Security Police (PSP), Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT), the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), and the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA).
According to a statement released during the press conference, it has been 25 years since the Friendship Bridge last underwent major maintenance.
The statement noted that the asphalt layer on the bridge deck is severely worn, and potholes frequently appear around the expansion joints of the approach roads after rain, posing potential safety hazards to motorists.
Maintenance work on the bridge deck facilities will be carried out from May 23 to mid-August, the statement said, adding that construction will primarily cover the southern and northern approach roads. This will include resurfacing the asphalt on the carriageway and replacing the expansion joints. Following this, repairs to the main bridge sections will proceed in phases, depending on traffic conditions.
The statement also noted that heavy vehicles account for between 20 to nearly 40 percent of the traffic volume on the bridge. In order to facilitate the roadworks while maintaining public mobility, the coordination team has decided to implement phased measures starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The approaches to the bridge in both the north and south directions will be reduced to single-lane traffic in stages. Vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes – excluding public buses – will be prohibited from using the bridge.
The statement suggested that affected drivers use the new Macau Bridge or other bridges to travel between Macau and Taipa, aiming to balance the needs of the maintenance project and public transport.
According to previous reports in the Post, the four-lane Friendship Bridge, the second Macau-Taipa link, opened to traffic in 1994. The bridge has two connecting viaducts on the peninsula. One is the viaduct from Avenida da Amizade near the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, while the other is from the north-eastern coast of Areia Preta district.
Meanwhile, the group also announced in the statement a raft of roadworks planned for this summer.
According to the statement, nine large-scale projects will start this summer. Following extensive discussions, these projects have been consolidated, the statement said. As they involve routes frequently used by students commuting to and from school, work will be carried out between late May and August during schools’ summer holiday.
To prepare for potentially adverse weather conditions such as typhoons and heavy rain during the summer break, the statement said the nine projects will be carried out concurrently to accelerate the pace of the roadworks and minimise the overall timeline.
The government aims to complete the work and restore traffic flow before the start of the new school year in September, thereby ensuring stable traffic conditions for the upcoming academic term, the statement said.
This photo taken yesterday shows Macau’s Friendship Bridge in the Outer Harbour. – Photo: Armindo Neves
