Brazil’s massive $1.8 billion Salvador-Itaparica Bridge project will be delivered by Chinese firms. The Bahia State Government has signed updated concession agreements with China Railway Construction (CRCC) and China Communications Construction (CCCC) for this important bridge project.
When compete, the 47km link will feature a 12km cable-stayed section with what are likely to be the deepest piled foundations ever driven. This will also be the longest cross-sea, cable stayed bridge in Latin America. Construction for what will be Brazil’s largest infrastructure project is expected to commence in 2026.
Construction of the new link will provide a direct connection between mainland Bahia State and Itaparica Island. According to the builders, the Salvador-Itaparica Bridge is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Brazil and will change the socio-economic reality of the entire state of Bahia. It will benefit 250 municipalities, mainly in Recôncavo Sul, Baixo Sul and the metropolitan region of Salvador. The project will create about 8,000 jobs, boosting the tourism sector in several cities by allowing locals and tourists to move around the state more quickly and safely.
The work will provide a shorter and faster connection between the capital and the highways BR-101, BR-116 and BR-242, cutting the travel distance by around 100km. The route is expected to carry 28,000 vehicles/day. In Salvador, the bridge will be accessed in the region of Água de Meninos. On the Island of Itaparica, the headwaters of the equipment will be in the region of Gameleira. Meanwhile, 250 municipalities will benefit from the link, particularly those in the Recôncavo Sul, Baixo Sul and the Metropolitan Region of Salvador.
