Demolitions in Porto continue

According to the execution project for the Espinho, Porto and Gaia section of the Porto-Lisbon high-speed line, open for public consultation until the 29th, it is possible to see that the forecast for demolitions in Porto remains, including 44 houses, seven economic activities (including the gas station on Avenida Gustave Eiffel) and three buildings of other categories.

At stake are, for example, several dozen houses on Rua da China in Campanhã, as well as in the Travessa da Presa da Agra and the Travessa do Freixo, as already reported by Lusa in October of last year.

Relief of the impact in Gaia

In Gaia, where at least 64 direct impacts on houses were planned, this number will now be 43, while the number of businesses will increase from 22 to 37 between the October 2025 project, which was rejected by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), and the current one.

The reduction in house demolitions in Gaia is due to the decision not to construct a station in Vilar do Paraíso, as several houses would have had to be demolished in the Guardal de Cima area for its construction, which will no longer happen. On the other hand, the demolitions of several businesses in the São Caetano industrial zone (15) will continue, as will the demolitions of nine in the Terços industrial zone.

In terms of housing, the most affected area will be Santo Ovídio, with 14 houses and 6 businesses affected, as well as a building of an unidentified type.

There will also be the allocation of 24 houses and six businesses scattered throughout the rest of the municipality.

In Espinho, in the parish of Anta, eight houses and three economic activities will be involved, in addition to a house already in the territory of Santa Maria da Feira.

The proposal to insert the high-speed line in Porto confirms the existence of a single bridge over the Douro River, the Gaia station in Santo Ovídio, and a sheltered overpass in Campanhã.

Underground lines

In Gaia, the high-speed line will be underground for most of its route, and the construction of the so-called Vila Nova de Gaia tunnel (3.4 kilometres), Negrelos 1 (995 metres) and 2 (190 metres) tunnels is planned, on the border with Espinho the Casaldeita tunnel (1.9 kilometres) and, further south, between Espinho and Feira, a tunnel under the A41 motorway (65 metres) and Cassufas (830 metres).

In addition to the bridge over the Douro River, plans include a bridge over the Senhora de Lamas stream (566 metres) in Santa Maria da Feira, a bridge over the Silvalde stream (614 metres) in Espinho, and, in Gaia, a viaduct over the A29 (92 metres) and the Pedreira das Lajes viaduct (439 metres).

Work on the first section (Porto-Oiã, Oliveira do Bairro, Aveiro), part of the first public-private partnership for the Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail line, is expected to begin this year and is scheduled for completion in 2030.