Councillor Lafuente visits this historic infrastructure after an 850.540 euro project that restores the bridge to its full load capacity

The Minister of the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, and the President of the Menorca Island Council, Adolfo Vilafranca, visited the Sa Colàrsega bridge in Ciutadella today, following the completion of the rehabilitation works carried out by Ports de les Illes Balears (PortsIB), an agency under the Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle. Also participating in the visit were the Mayor of Ciutadella, Juana Mari Bagur; the Director General of Ports and Maritime Transport, Antoni Mercant; and the Manager of PortsIB, Kico Villalonga.

The project, which involved an investment of €850.540, has fully restored the functionality and safety of a key infrastructure for local residents and port-related activities. The Sa Colàrsega bridge, with over 150 years of history, is one of the most unique elements of Menorca's port heritage and is notable for housing the only cast iron arch in the Balearic Islands.

The works began on November 3, 2025, and have ensured the long-term preservation of a structure that was in an advanced state of disrepair. Before the intervention, structural limitations required restricting access to light vehicles, and the circulation of trucks and other heavy vehicles was prohibited to guarantee the safety of users.

Throughout the construction work, PortsIB has strived to ensure that the project is compatible with the normal activity of the surrounding area, minimizing disruption to residents, port users, and vessels using the ramp near the bridge. To achieve this, the planning of the different phases was adapted to periods of peak traffic and activity, maintaining accessibility whenever possible and avoiding unnecessary disruptions during holiday periods and the busiest season for the facilities.

The rehabilitation included the installation of a new structural framework, the reinforcement and replacement of various load-bearing elements, and a general improvement of the infrastructure's safety conditions. Once the work was completed, the bridge successfully passed the corresponding load tests, verifying its structural capacity and allowing the resumption of truck and heavy vehicle traffic, which had previously been restricted due to the bridge's condition.

The project was officially handed over on the same day as the load tests, once the structural integrity of the infrastructure and its full capacity to support the authorized traffic were verified. This marks the culmination of a project long awaited by the residents of Sa Colàrsega and by regular users of this connection, considered essential for daily mobility and for numerous activities linked to the port area.

During the visit, Lafuente emphasized that this action reflects the Government's commitment to the preservation of port infrastructure and the maritime heritage of the Balearic Islands. In this regard, he noted that PortsIB is promoting significant investments during this legislative term to modernize the region's ports, improve their security, and ensure more efficient facilities adapted to the current needs of citizens and users.

The rehabilitation of the Sa Colàrsega bridge is part of the various actions that PortsIB is developing in the ports under regional management to reinforce the quality of the infrastructure and ensure its conservation for future generations.