Rosário: brace yourselves for more traffic chaos

Speaking at the Legislative Assembly (AL), the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, offered a warning to the city’s population. “The traffic will soon be … complete chaos,” he said, adding, “This will happen because [this year] we will have even more construction works [than last year].”
The warning came after several lawmakers questioned the traffic situation in Macau and the disruption that is occurring on several roads due to construction works.
In reply, the Secretary noted that things are not expected to get any better soon. In fact, he said they will almost certainly become worse, “Especially when the works on the Zone A of the new landfills kick off in full steam. This will be a consequence of the many works that we are developing and there is no way to go around this.”
Confronted with contrasting opinions from several lawmakers on the topic, Rosário added, “We need to decide if we want to do this fast or in a phased manner. From one side, you tell me that you want things done as fast as possible, but now you are also telling me that there are too many constructions at the same time. This is contradictory.”
He also remarked that while some lawmakers feel disgruntled with the quantity of construction works being done, others, including the majority of the population, want public facilities and improvements to be completed as fast as possible.
“We need to take into account the ambitions of the population,” he said, noting that it is impossible to please everyone.
Questioned by lawmakers Ip Sio Kai and Sulu Sou specifically on the project that aims to create a pedestrian flyover at the Avenida de Guimarães in Taipa, Rosário said that the project only suffered one delay, caused by the halt in construction due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and he noted that the government has a contract signed with the contractor for the conclusion of the project which will be running in a “reasonable manner.”
According to the Secretary, this project will be completed by the end of this year. RM