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Despite Being Brazil’s Third Largest Federal Highway, The Transamazon Highway (BR-230) Still Has Several Unpaved Segments; The Project, Stretching From Paraíba to Amazonas, Is Characterized By Unstable Terrain and Flood-Prone Areas

Written by Rannyson Moura
Published on 24/02/2026 at 10:29
Updated on 24/02/2026 at 10:30
Entenda por que a rodovia Transamazônica, a BR-230, ainda possui longos trechos sem asfalto, quais são os desafios do solo amazônico e como a obra iniciada no regime militar segue gerando debates até hoje.
Entenda por que a rodovia Transamazônica, a BR-230, ainda possui longos trechos sem asfalto, quais são os desafios do solo amazônico e como a obra iniciada no regime militar segue gerando debates até hoje.
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Understand Why the Transamazon Highway, BR-230, Still Has Long Stretches Without Asphalt, What the Challenges of Amazon Soil Are, and How the Work Started During the Military Regime Continues to Generate Debates to This Day.

The Transamazon Highway has come back into the spotlight after a live-streamed expedition revealed the real conditions of part of the route. The journey was led by Ricardo Freitas, known as Ricardinho ACF, aboard a truck prepared for extreme terrain.

The images drew attention on social media. Despite the use of 4×4 vehicles and even a UTV, the daily life of the highway consists of loaded trucks, interstate buses, passenger cars, and motorcycles. The lack of asphalt in certain spots turns any trip into a challenge.

Thus, many Brazilians started to question: why is a highway over 4,000 kilometers long still not fully paved?

Why Does the Transamazon Highway Have No Asphalt in Several Stretches?

BR-230 starts in Cabedelo, Paraíba, and goes to Lábrea, Amazonas. In the Northeast, a large part of the highway is paved. However, as it progresses through Pará and enters the Amazon rainforest, the scenery changes.

The main obstacle lies in the soil. The region has unstable terrain and extensive areas prone to flooding. During the rainy season, from December to May, the ground turns into thick clay. Trucks get stuck. Buses run late. Residents face temporary isolation.

YouTube Video

Outside of the rainy season, traffic improves. However, even then, the conditions demand extra attention. The same situation occurs on BR-319, which also faces discussions about the feasibility of paving.

In 2020, then Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio Gomes, announced plans for paving sections of these highways. However, to this day, the work has not been completed and continues to generate technical and environmental debates.

A Work Marked by Controversies Since Its Origin

The Transamazon Highway was born during the military regime, as part of the National Integration Program. President Emílio Garrastazu Médici argued that the road would stimulate the development of the North Region and help address social problems in the Northeast.

However, the project was never consensus. Within the government itself, there were warnings about environmental risks and lack of planning. 

Even so, the work progressed rapidly. Military personnel were directly involved in the construction, even without specific experience in building large highways in the forest.

The impact was profound. There was deforestation for road opening and the installation of agricultural projects. Local communities were displaced. Native species were affected. 

Decades later, critics assert that, besides not fully delivering on the promise of progress, the highway facilitated the advance of illegal mining and deforestation.

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Regina Bernadete Fraga
Regina Bernadete Fraga
28/02/2026 19:31

Precisa Bolsonaro voltar pra asfaltar pouca vergonha as pessoas envolvidas nao interessa asfaltar senão como vão roubar nosso dinheiro pois é nós brasileiros que pagamos os impostos tenham ****

Gilberto Carvalho
Gilberto Carvalho(@gilberto11311)
Member
25/02/2026 13:47

A rodovia 319 já foi toda asfaltada no passado. Foram os empresários que fazem o transporte fluvial entre Manaus e Porto Velho que, com uso de máquinas, retiraram todo o asfalto, para acabar com a concorrência do transporte rodoviário.

Última edição em 1 mês atrás por Gilberto Carvalho
Lito
Lito
Em resposta a  Gilberto Carvalho
25/02/2026 14:20

isso é fake

Fala a verdade!
Fala a verdade!
Em resposta a  Gilberto Carvalho
25/02/2026 17:53

Não tem vergonha em mentir, Pinóquio?

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Rannyson Moura

Graduado em Publicidade e Propaganda pela UERN; mestre em Comunicação Social pela UFMG e doutorando em Estudos de Linguagens pelo CEFET-MG. Atua como redator freelancer desde 2019, com textos publicados em sites como Baixaki, MinhaSérie e Letras.mus.br. Academicamente, tem trabalhos publicados em livros e apresentados em eventos da área. Entre os temas de pesquisa, destaca-se o interesse pelo mercado editorial a partir de um olhar que considera diferentes marcadores sociais.

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