Skip to main content

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.

Related Content

  • State-of-the art road tunnels in construction and use of ITS
    April 25, 2013
    A wealth of major road tunnel construction projects and significant cant ITS installations within existing key road tunnels have been recently completed or will soon be underway. Guy Woodford examines some of them. A state-of-the art Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) - the 10th largest ever to be built worldwide will be put to work later this year on New Zealand Transport Agency’s landmark Waterview Connection project in Auckland. The giant Herrenknecht-manufactured machine will be used to construct the twin 2.5
  • How Florida paved the way for availability payments in the US
    November 21, 2014
    New financing models have been used to deliver key transport links in the US - * Patrick D Harder and Brandon J Davis Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) public-private partnership (PPP) programme has made impressive progress, setting precedents for US transportation planning and funding. On March 26th 2014, FDOT opened 16km of new reversible express lanes as part of its US$1.8 billion I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvements Project. Just a few months later, on August 3rd 2014, FDOT opened twin tunnel
  • A tricky road update is planned for an important rural road in Brazil
    September 27, 2013
    Brazilian consultant SOTEPA has been closely involved with infrastructure improvements in a series of projects in the southern state of Santa Catarina. One of the most important of these has been design work for the SC-477 state highway, which connects the east of the state to Brazil’s Littoral zone and the BR-101 federal highway. The SC-477 has had to be upgraded as part of it has been unsurfaced, without an asphalt surface between Itaiópolis and Doutor Pedrinho. The road provides an important link for the
  • Brazilian mine and infrastructure projects create jobs
    June 11, 2012
    A huge $5 billion Brazilian mine project together with extensive infrastructure developments is expected to create 8,000 jobs Huge export opportunities in Brazil, including equipment for aggregate production and highway construction, are being highlighted by the UK Construction Equipment Association (CEA). UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has appointed the CEA to deliver a UK Information Share Fair and extended Trade Mission to Brazil to promote a major high value opportunity for UK manufacturers and service pr