The Eastern Évora Bypass, integrated into the IP2, was inaugurated on September 3, 2026, with the opening of 12.8 kilometres of new road funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Hugo Espírito Santo, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Infraestruturas de Portugal, Paulo Carmona, and the Vice Mayor of the Municipality of Évora, Jerónimo José.
The new road aims to improve traffic flow and road safety conditions, removing through traffic from the interior of the city of Évora. Studies cited by the municipality indicate a reduction in car traffic in the city centre between 30% and 40%, potentially reaching 50% in an optimal scenario. The infrastructure includes a central divider and two carriageways, characteristics that the government official considered fundamental for reducing accidents.
The Eastern Bypass does not yet correspond to the full completion of the planned connection, as the section between the end of the bypass and the IP2, in the São Manços area, remains to be built. Hugo Espírito Santo stated that the government is committed to completing this connection and that Infraestruturas de Portugal plans to invest approximately 700 million euros in Alentejo by the end of 2028.
Within the scope of the PRR, Infraestruturas de Portugal exceeded the established target of 111 kilometres of roads built or upgraded, reaching 154 kilometres. Paulo Carmona highlighted that the company met all 21 contractual targets and received 508 million euros in European funds, corresponding to 94% of the available funding. For the municipality of Évora, the new infrastructure represents an opportunity to strengthen economic attractiveness and the potential establishment of logistics platforms in the region.
