On São Miguel Island, the Azorean government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) signed the assignment document for the 45.7 million euro Capelas bypass, which is supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The work, which was awarded after a public tender to Consórcio Marques, SA. and Tecnovia - Açores, Sociedade de Empreiteiros AS, will connect São Miguel's island's northern and southern slopes.

As stated in the note, the work is of "large dimensions" and "extreme importance" for the island of São Miguel because it "seeks to mitigate floods such as those that hit several parishes in the municipality of Ponta Delgada last year," according to Berta Cabral, the regional secretary for tourism, mobility, and infrastructure of the Azores.

As it is mentioned “The construction of the Capelas bypass will allow the connection between the northern and southern slopes of the island of São Miguel, through the connection of the main population centers located between the city of Ponta Delgada, where the most important transport infrastructures such as the port and airport are located, and the northwest part of the municipality”.


At the parish of Santo António, the new route will begin at Estrada Regional 1-1.ª. It will terminate at the Cerrado da Cova region, where a roundabout will link it to the existing roads (Estrada 4-1.ª and EM 510). According to José Manuel Bolieiro, the social democrat leading the Azorean coalition, "this connection provides greater mobility and ease of access to specialised services that are only available in the island's large urban centres”.