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The Billion Auction of BR-381 Promises to Transform the Connection Between São Paulo and Belo Horizonte with New Lanes, Sidewalks, and Tunnels, in a 15-Year Concession Contract That Provides for Modernization and Safety in One of the Busiest Sections of the Country.
The Fernão Dias highway (BR-381), the main link between São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, will be auctioned on December 11, at B3, in São Paulo.
The new concession contract provides for R$ 15.3 billion in investments and a duration of 15 years, with an estimated end in 2040.
The bidding represents a new stage in the management of the road, considered one of the most dangerous in the country by traffic agencies and road transport specialists.
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The stretch, which cuts through 33 municipalities and totals 569 kilometers, will again be managed by a private operator under the supervision of the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) and the Ministry of Transport.
The process was approved by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) after a technical analysis of the bidding notice.
New Concession Ends Previous Impasses
The bidding marks the end of a period of contractual disagreements with the current concessionaire, Autopista Fernão Dias S.A., part of the Arteris group, responsible for the road since 2008.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the new contract seeks to correct distortions identified in the previous model and ensure greater efficiency in the execution of the works.
At least four business groups are expected to compete in the auction: Arteris Fernão Dias, Motiva Infrastructure, EPR, and Via Appia.
The winner will take over the management of the road and the execution of the planned works, with R$ 9.5 billion allocated to structural improvements and R$ 5.4 billion to operational services, such as emergency response, maintenance, and signaling.
Main Works and Interventions Planned
The bidding notice defines 108 kilometers of additional lanes, 14 kilometers of marginal roads, nine kilometers of alignment corrections, and the construction of new tunnels.
Also planned are 29 sidewalks, 17 optimized intersections, 62 access improvements, six wildlife crossings, and two truck escape areas.
According to the ANTT, the interventions aim to increase traffic flow and reduce accident rates, especially in mountainous sections.
The expectation is that the most urgent works will begin in the first two years of the contract.
One of the Busiest Axes in the Southeast
Opened in 1959, during Juscelino Kubitschek‘s government, BR-381 is one of the main logistics corridors between Minas Gerais and São Paulo, connecting industrial hubs and distribution centers.
According to data from the current concessionaire, the highway has a daily average flow of over 61,000 vehicles per toll plaza, with 37% being cargo vehicles.
Security agencies and traffic specialists point out that the high traffic volume of trucks and the presence of sharp curves, especially between Belo Horizonte and Governador Valadares, increase the risk of accidents.
For this reason, the road has become popularly known as the “Highway of Death”.
History of Works and Results
Arteris reports that it has completed, since 2008, 85 kilometers of third lanes, 53 sidewalks, and four interchanges.
Despite the progress, some of the originally planned improvements were not completed, which motivated the restructuring.
According to the ANTT, the new concession model establishes annual performance targets and stricter penalties in case of non-compliance, as well as continuous monitoring mechanisms.
The agency states that the contract was designed to ensure predictability and adherence to investment schedules.
Federal Concession Program
The auction of BR-381 is part of the program to optimize the federal road network, which reviews old contracts and seeks to attract new investors to the sector.
According to the Ministry of Transport, this is the third restructured concession in this format.
The ministry anticipates 16 road auctions in 2025, expecting to generate R$ 176 billion in investments.
By 2026, the estimated total is over R$ 350 billion, including road, rail, and port concessions.
The Minister of Transport, Renan Filho, stated that the new model was structured “to correct failures in previous contracts and guarantee regulatory stability for both the user and the investor.”
Challenges in Transition and Execution of Works
Technicians from the ANTT assess that BR-381 will be an important test for the revised concession model.
The main challenge, according to industry experts, will be to reconcile the advancement of the works with the safety and intense flow of vehicles.
During the transition between concessionaires, a contingency plan is expected to ensure the continuity of service and maintenance.
The agency has informed that monitoring will be conducted continuously by technical and fiscal teams.
The new concessionaire will also have environmental obligations, such as restoring degraded areas, controlling erosion, and installing wildlife crossings.
The compliance with these measures will be monitored by federal and state environmental agencies.
Government Expectations and Regional Impact
The federal government estimates that the planned investments could increase the logistics capacity of the Minas–São Paulo axis, reducing travel time and transportation costs.
The Ministry of Transport states that the modernization of the highway is essential to facilitate industrial and agricultural production from the Southeast region.
Experts emphasize that the execution of the works and the monitoring of deadlines will be crucial for achieving the expected results.
The performance of the future concessionaire will be monitored in periodic public reports.
With the auction scheduled and the new model in effect, BR-381 enters a new stage of concession.
The expectation is that the coming years will indicate if the investment plan will be sufficient to reduce accident rates and improve traffic conditions.
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