Major Brazilian tunnel project proposed

A novel tunnel project has been proposed in Brazil. The local infrastructure group Contern has suggested building a tunnel underneath the Serra do Mar nature reserve along the coast of Sao Paulo. The new link would improve access to the southern coastal area of that state, including to Santos port and the industrial area known as Baixada Santista. The project would be carried out under the PPP model so as to provide the necessary funding. The tunnel would have to be 21-23km long and would feature twin tubes
September 10, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A novel tunnel project has been proposed in Brazil. The local infrastructure group Contern has suggested building a tunnel underneath the Serra do Mar nature reserve along the coast of Sao Paulo. The new link would improve access to the southern coastal area of that state, including to Santos port and the industrial area known as Baixada Santista. The project would be carried out under the PPP model so as to provide the necessary funding. The tunnel would have to be 21-23km long and would feature twin tubes with diameters of 16m.

The tunnel proposal includes provision for both road and rail and has been called Via Mar. The concept has been modelled on the Channel tunnel linking France and the UK. The first phase of the Brazilian project is expected to be worth from US$1.82-2.08 billion. The new project would improve logistics access to Brazil's largest port, Santos. Currently, the latter's main access road is the Anchieta highway, which was constructed in 1943. The new link would start at Suzano, on the Rodoanel Leste ringway.
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