Tecnovia Completes Upgrade of 44.5 km of the IP8, Strengthening Connections Across Baixo Alentejo

Safer roads, improved access and better connections for Baixo Alentejo. Tecnovia, in a consortium with JJR – Construções J.J.R. & Filhos, has completed two major upgrade projects on the IP8, between Santa Margarida do Sado and Beja. Covering a total of approximately 44.5 kilometres and representing an investment of €64.5 million, these works mark a significant milestone in the modernisation of the region’s road network.

A New Chapter for Mobility in Baixo Alentejo

The IP8 is one of southern Portugal’s main road corridors, providing a vital connection between the Setúbal coast and the Alentejo hinterland, extending to Beja.

The upgrade of this infrastructure addresses long-standing challenges, including deteriorating road surfaces, limitations in the existing road alignments and traffic difficulties through urban areas.

Commissioned by Infraestruturas de Portugal and funded through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the project has modernised a key regional transport link, delivering improved safety, comfort and traffic flow for those who rely on this route every day.

Two Sections, One More Efficient Connection

The project comprised two complementary contracts, combining structural improvements to existing roads with the construction of new bypasses.

On the EN259, between Santa Margarida do Sado and Ferreira do Alentejo, approximately 22 kilometres were upgraded, representing an investment of €30.9 million. One of the main highlights was the construction of the Figueira dos Cavaleiros bypass, approximately 3.8 kilometres long, which diverts part of the traffic away from the town centre and improves traffic conditions.

On the EN121, between Ferreira do Alentejo and Beja, the works covered approximately 22.5 kilometres, with an investment of €33.6 million. This section included the construction of the Beringel bypass, approximately 3 kilometres long, providing a more direct and safer alternative to travelling through the town.

Featuring two lanes in each direction, the new bypasses contribute to smoother, more efficient journeys between the main locations along this road corridor.

A Project That Demonstrates the Scale of Our Technical Capabilities

The delivery of these two contracts involved a large-scale operation, requiring careful planning, coordination and the ability to manage multiple work fronts simultaneously.

Across both sections, 527 workers and 159 pieces of equipment were mobilised, with more than one million working hours recorded.

The scale of the project is also reflected in the materials used, including more than 38,000 cubic metres of concrete, approximately 337,000 tonnes of granular base materials and over 283,000 tonnes of bituminous mixtures.

From earthworks and structural construction to road surfacing and the installation of road safety equipment, every stage required close coordination between teams and resources.

The consortium’s industrial capabilities, supported by its own production facilities for aggregates, bituminous mixtures and ready-mixed concrete, played an important role in delivering the works, ensuring production autonomy and quality control throughout the project.

More Than Roads: New Opportunities for the Region

With the completion of these works, Baixo Alentejo now benefits from an upgraded road infrastructure, better equipped to meet the mobility needs of local communities and businesses.

Improved driving conditions and the construction of the new bypasses make an important contribution to road safety, reduced journey times and the region’s economic competitiveness, strengthening connections between inland areas and the coast.

For Tecnovia, the completion of this project marks another milestone in its track record in road engineering and construction, demonstrating its ability to deliver large-scale, technically complex infrastructure projects.

Because building roads is about much more than connecting destinations. It is about bringing communities closer together, driving development and opening up new pathways for the future.

Crescemos a Fazer.

09.09.2026