Gov’t justifies flyover between new urban zones with public interest

The government has responded to recent criticisms over the construction of the flyover linking Zones A and B of the new landfills at the Outer Harbor area.

In a joint statement, the Land and Urban Construction Bureau, the Public Works Bureau, the Transport Bureau, and the Cultural Affairs Bureau, have justified the construction of the flyover on the grounds of public interest.

The bureaus noted that “several ideas were put forward in the past regarding the project, and the different departments and services of the Macau government have considered them in an integrated manner, in terms of urban planning, landscape protection, construction price, construction time and social impact, to select a solution that can balance all aspects.”

Recently, several public voices, including architects, lawmakers, and urban planners, have expressed the opinion that the construction of the flyover would significantly impact the landscape and harm the visibility of the Guia Lighthouse, a UNESCO heritage listed monument subject to special rules.

Some of these voices are calling for the abandonment of the flyover project, which is already ongoing, and the return to the original idea of building a tunnel instead.

In the statement issued yesterday, the government noted that when considering the construction method of the road tunnel, the government paid special attention to the impact that this construction project would have and difficulties related to the location itself.

“First, when designing the link as a tunnel, a longer area should be reserved for a steep incline. Based on the available area of ​​the project, this would make the demolition of the existing leisure area near the Kun Iam Statue and excavation of adjacent roads unavoidable,” the government noted. “Second, due to the lack of space, the tunnel exit in Zone B can only be built near the Kun Iam Statue. This will weaken the function of connecting the access points of Zones A and B of the new landfills and the NAPE area in terms of transport use.”

The government also noted that the construction cost of a tunnel is much higher than that of a flyover and requires more specialized equipment and skills, in addition to requiring significantly more time.

Taking these factors into account, the government decided to build the flyover. Information about the project was previously published on several public forums.

The departments added that in moving forward with the project, they will continue to seek the most appropriate design solutions to meet the public interests in a balanced manner.