IP3 highway toll debate intensifies between Coimbra and Viseu

Political parties in Portugal are addressing the future of the IP3 highway, which connects Coimbra and Viseu. The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) is demanding that the requalification and duplication of the route be completed without the introduction of tolls. The PCP argues that any decision to implement tolls would conflict with regional interests and the 2026 State Budget law, which includes a provision to ensure the route remains toll-free.

In response to concerns raised by statements from the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, deputies from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) have clarified that the existing IP3 route will remain exempt from tolls. They noted that Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro confirmed that travel between Viseu and Coimbra on the current route will not require payment. However, the PSD clarified that confusion may stem from new infrastructure and alternative sections planned for construction, such as in the Penacova area, for which the financing and exploitation models are still being defined.