The Border Gate underground bus terminal is just about ready and will reopen for public use on Saturday, fulfilling a pledge made earlier by the Secretary for Transport and Public Works. Around two months ago, Raimundo do Rosário announced at the Legislative Assembly the that such facility would open ahead of the initially expected time and would be a “Christmas Gift” for the population.
The announcement of the opening date came as a statement from the Transport Bureau (DSAT) that also confirmed that, in the first phase of the return to operations of the terminal, only 13 bus routes (of the original 24) will return to the facility, while also confirming that the temporary bus stops organized to provide the service while the terminal was undergoing renovation will continue to operate.
According to the same statement and taking into account the opinions gathered by the DSAT from users and operators, among others, the routes 1, 3, 10, 25, 25B, AP1 and MT4 will return to the terminal and will be using it as a starting and finishing point.
In addition to the routes 25B and AP1, that do not stop at the current temporary stops are “Currais/Terminal” and “Portas do Cerco/Terminal,” the remaining five routes, after departing from the Terminal, will continue to stop at the existing stopping points while running on their original routes. On the other hand, five routes will stop at the terminal as a crossing point: the routes 17, 27 (for Areia Preta), 30, 34 and 51A.
The DSAT added that in order to avoid overcrowding of the terminal, the 3X route would only drop passengers off at the terminal, picking up new ones only at the stop “Istmo Ferreira do Amaral.”
To recall, the Border Gate Terminal was closed after sustaining severe damage during the passage of typhoon Hato in August 2017, leading the government to introduce changes to the renovation plan of the venue that was already planned to happen.
In the works being performed now, the government, besides changing the ventilation system and some other improvements that were planned, created five different areas of which three will have air-conditioning, improving the facilities for both passengers and drivers.
The completion and delivery of the works was initially scheduled for the second quarter of 2019, but when the Chief Executive granted an exemption concerning noise during the evening and night, in order to perform the works around the clock, it was possible to conclude the tasks earlier than initially expected. RM
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