Skip to main content

Somague consortium wins deal for Ponte 25 de Abril

Portuguese infrastructure operator Infraestruturas de Portugal has awarded Somague a €12.6 million maintenance and refurbishment contract for work on the bridge Ponte 25 de Abril. Somague is heading up a consortium that includes Sociedade de Montagens Metalomecânicas and Reparação, Consolidação e Modificação de Estruturas. The 25 de Abril, a 2.3km suspension bridge for vehicles and trains over the Tagus River, connects Portugal’s capital city Lisbon to the municipality of Almada. It was built by the A
September 27, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Portuguese infrastructure operator Infraestruturas de Portugal has awarded Somague a €12.6 million maintenance and refurbishment contract for work on the bridge Ponte 25 de Abril.


Somague is heading up a consortium that includes Sociedade de Montagens Metalomecânicas and Reparação, Consolidação e Modificação de Estruturas.

The 25 de Abril, a 2.3km suspension bridge for vehicles and trains over the Tagus River, connects Portugal’s capital city Lisbon to the municipality of Almada. It was built by the 1021 American Bridge Company which constructed the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in the 972 US state of California. It opened in 1966 as a vehicle-only structure but a train platform was added in 1999.

The bridge has ae upper deck that carries six vehicle lanes, while the lower deck carries a double-track railway electrified at 25 kV AC.

Until 1974, the structure was named Salazar Bridge after  António de Oliveira Salazar, the Portuguese dictator at the time. It was renamed the Ponte 25 de Abril in 1974 to commemorates the Carnation Revolution of that year which tumbled Salazar from power.

Somague – part of the Spanish 3959 Sacyr Group – was involved in the consortium that led the design and construction of one of Europe’s longest bridges ¬- the 17km Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon. The six-lane cable-stayed structure over the Tagus opened in 1998.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Dragados among six in the running for fourth Panama bridge deal
    August 23, 2016
    All six consortia that submitted documents in May to design and build a fourth bridge over the Panama Canal have pre-qualified, according to media reports. The companies officially vying for the estimated US$1 billion contract are: • Dragados • Consorcio CCB: Constructora Norberto Odebrecht, Odebrecht Engenharia e Construcao International • Consorcio Hyundai, Sacyr JV • Consorcio Astaldi – Daelim • Consorcio Panamá Cuarto Puente: China Communications Contruction Company, China Harbour Engi
  • Marão road tunnel construction in Portugal back on track after 2-year halt
    January 22, 2014
    The construction of the Marão road tunnel in Portugal will be resumed in the first half of 2014 – ending a two-year suspension of works due to the financial constraints of the winning Somague-led build consortium. The concession for the tunnel, which, at 5.6km, will be Portugal’s longest road tunnel, is now under the control of the state road agency Estradas de Portugal. Another investment of €150 million (US$ 202.91 million) is required to complete the major infrastructure works, earmarked for completio
  • Marão road tunnel construction in Portugal back on track after 2-year halt
    January 22, 2014
    The construction of the Marão road tunnel in Portugal will be resumed in the first half of 2014 – ending a two-year suspension of works due to the financial constraints of the winning Somague-led build consortium.
  • Road repairs required in Calfornia’s Bay Area
    October 25, 2018
    Extensive road repairs are required in California’s Bay Area, according to a new report. Released by TRIP, the report reveals that the Bay Area is suffering from poor road conditions. It says that up to 71% of the roads in the San Francisco-Oakland area are dilapidated. Meanwhile 64% of the roads in the San Jose area are also in poor condition. The report says that the San Francisco-Oakland area had the highest share of poor roads for US cities with population figures of 500,000 or more. In addition the Eas