en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Minister of Transport George Santoro jointly delivered on Tuesday (23rd) a 4-kilometer new uphill lane on the BR-116/RJ/SP highway at the Serra das Araras section, which is equipped with full lighting, 8 viaducts, 4 traffic lanes, 1 shoulder, and 14 protective structures. This key passage on the Presidente Dutra Highway connects Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with a monthly traffic volume of approximately 390,000 vehicles, and is expected to officially open later this week. The project is invested with 1.5 billion reais by RioSP (under Motiva), with overall progress currently at 70%, and the completion date for all works has been advanced from the original 2029 to 2027.
"The transformation of Serra das Araras will become a hallmark, attracting companies from various economic activities to move closer to Rio de Janeiro for production. I am confident that the outcomes of this project will bring more development, more businesses, and higher-quality jobs to Rio," President Lula emphasized at the delivery site. The Serra section previously suffered frequent accidents, with cumulative disruptions exceeding 40 days per year. Minister of Transport George Santoro noted that the core design of the project is to enhance road safety, serving both daily commuters and the overall economic improvement. Upon completion, the speed limit for vehicles passing through this section will increase from 40 km/h to 80 km/h, reducing travel time to São Paulo by up to 25% and to Rio de Janeiro by up to 50%, thereby improving travel conditions for the public, creating a better working environment for truck drivers, and boosting regional economic vitality.
Acting Governor of Rio de Janeiro Ricardo Couto stated that the highway investment will bring wealth circulation and improvements in urban mobility concepts, enabling people to travel faster and safer, benefiting the state, the public, and corporate investments. Of the 390,000 vehicles passing monthly, 36% of the traffic consists of truck drivers. Truck driver André Ribeiro praised the new dual lanes for both uphill and downhill directions, noting that it provides greater safety for his work transporting vegetables. The construction of this project has directly created approximately 2,200 jobs. Electrician Ramon Ferreira, a resident of Paracambi, participated in the lighting system construction and said the project will improve driving visibility and intersection conditions, benefiting all residents of regions such as Paracambi and Piraí.
Rio de Janeiro state is currently in its largest cycle of transport infrastructure investment in history, with signed highway and railway investments exceeding 50 billion reais, a figure expected to reach 70 billion reais by the end of the year. Over the past three years, the Ministry of Transport has consolidated a strong portfolio of highway concessions in Rio de Janeiro state, with major deliveries completed by private partners including over 2,000 meters of expanded road sections, two truck driver rest stops, 412,000 kilometers of lane markings, 91,000 meters of restored road drainage facilities, and 7,000 tons of cleared waste.
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