Driving the brutally steep (45%) Rua da Barreira

Located in Funchal, the capital city of Portugal's Madeira archipelago, Rua da Barreira is one of the steepest roads in the world, with some brutal sections of 45% and an average gradient of 25.17%.

Is Rua da Barreira paved?

The paved road is typically quite normal, though a bit steep at times. However, there is a section that some cars simply cannot go through (there is a bypass), and it even turns into cement from asphalt. The buses that run here (line 90) are customized 4x4s that look like cartoon buses.

How steep is Rua da Barreira?

At its maximum, the slope of Rua da Barreira is about 25-28° (or 45%-50%). The street is 290 meters long, with an average gradient of 25.17%, climbing up from 710m to 783m above sea level. The steepest section of the road is located between bus stops Barreira 91 and CAM Trapiche Entronca S.
More pics: https://imgur.com/a/twEKxQ9

 

 

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