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New 100-Meter Bridge Will Eliminate 16 Km Detour Over The Itapocu River And Directly Connect Araquari And Guaramirim With An Investment Of R$ 12.1 Million.
Approval And Details Of The New Bridge Over The Itapocu River
The city halls of Araquari and Guaramirim approved on October 13, 2025, the project for the construction of a new bridge over the Itapocu River.
A structure that will directly link the municipalities and eliminate a mandatory detour of 16 kilometers.
The estimated investment of R$ 12.1 million covers everything from earthworks and foundations to drainage, access paving, and road signaling.
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The work, made of reinforced and post-tensioned concrete, will have 100 meters in length and 13 meters in width, with two traffic lanes, accessible sidewalks, and a dedicated bike lane.
Replacement Of The Closed Hanging Bridge
The bridge will replace a hanging structure from 1978, closed by the Civil Defense in May 2025 after damage caused by heavy rainfall in February of the same year.
The closure, confirmed by the civil defenses of both municipalities, restricted passage to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Forcing drivers to take an extensive detour in the region.
The demolition of the old bridge will be the responsibility of the Araquari City Hall, while Guaramirim will handle the execution of the new work.
The project, developed by the Department of Planning, Urbanism and Mobility of Guaramirim, was presented in a meeting with mayors Adriano Zimmermann (Guaramirim, PL) and Ludgero Jasper Junior (Araquari, PSD), as well as their deputies and technical teams.
Drastic Reduction In Travel Time
The immediate impact falls on the daily traffic between the cities, which have about 90,000 inhabitants.
Currently, the detour of 16 kilometers, through secondary roads and winding sections, increases travel time to over 30 minutes under normal conditions.
Reaching up to an hour during peak times or in rainy weather.
With the new direct link between Bananal do Sul Road in Guaramirim and General Guamiranga Road in Araquari, the distance is reduced to 100 meters across the river.
This reduction halves the total travel time, according to estimates from the city halls based on local traffic studies.
Impact On Daily Life Of Residents And Students
The closure of the hanging bridge has aggravated everyday problems since May.
Residents of the Guamiranga neighborhood in Araquari and rural areas of Guaramirim report difficulties accessing essential services.
Six students from the municipal network in Guaramirim, who attended the Municipal School Cristina Marli Zipf Ribeiro in the Guamiranga neighborhood, were relocated to units in Guaramirim during the closure.
The crossing, which was previously feasible for light vehicles, now requires alternative routes that pass through dirt sections and busy intersections on BR-101, the main logistical axis of northern Santa Catarina.
Benefits For Industry And Regional Logistics
The new bridge emerges in a context of industrial expansion in the region.
Araquari hosts industrial hubs for manufacturers such as BMW and Volvo.
While Guaramirim concentrates metallurgical and plastics industries, with the Port of Itapoá less than 20 kilometers away.
The shipment of cargo, currently hindered by the detour, relies on efficient routes to the port terminal, which handled 1.2 million TEUs in 2024.
The reduction in freight time, projected to be up to 50% for heavy vehicles, optimizes the flow of containers and goods.
Alleviating bottlenecks on BR-101 and the adjacent railway network.
Operational Advantages For Local Businesses
Local businesses are already signaling operational benefits.
Representatives from industries in Araquari emphasize that the current detour adds costs for fuel and fleet maintenance, estimated in thousands of reais monthly per route.
The direct bridge facilitates the transport of supplies between suppliers in Guaramirim and manufacturers in Araquari.
Strengthening the productive chain of the Itapocu Valley.
The project integrates the regional road system, connecting to improvements on SC-108 and the proximity to the Rodovia do Mar.
And meets long-standing demands from entities like Fiesc, which advocates for investments in infrastructure to enhance competitiveness in Santa Catarina.
Sustainable Mobility And Accessibility
In addition to the vehicular focus, the structure incorporates elements of sustainable mobility.
The 100-meter bike lane, with anti-slip pavement and horizontal signage, serves a network of rural trails linking the two cities.
The sidewalks, with accessibility ramps according to ABNT NBR 9050 standards, ensure safe passage for pedestrians, including the elderly and people with reduced mobility.
The stormwater drainage, with curbs and grates sized for flows of up to 50 years, mitigates risks of flooding common in the Itapocu River during extreme precipitation events.
Current Situation And Emergency Works
The emergency renovation of the hanging bridge, initiated in June 2025 and funded by Araquari, allowed for partial reopening for non-motorized traffic in September, after 120 days of interventions.
However, the wooden structure, last maintained in 2022, cannot support motor vehicles.
Maintaining the mandatory detour for cars and trucks.
This limitation exposed vulnerabilities in urban integration, with reports of increased traffic from school vans and home deliveries through alternative routes.
Funding And Timeline Of The Work
The funding for the new bridge, budgeted at R$ 12.1 million, will be split between the city halls, with priority funding through parliamentary amendments and state agreements.
The amount covers the reorganization of energy and water networks in the surrounding area, in addition to landscaping with native trees to preserve the riparian forest of the Itapocu.
Preliminary environmental studies conducted by the Guaramirim team confirm compatibility with federal legislation, including licensing by IMA.
The bidding for execution is expected to occur after resource approval, with works scheduled to start in 2026, according to the timeline presented at the October meeting.
Regional Integration In North Santa Catarina
The intermunicipal collaboration reflects a trend in Santa Catarina.
Where similar projects, such as the bridge over the Itapocuzinho River between Jaraguá do Sul and Schroeder, sum investments above R$ 90 million in pending roadworks.
In Araquari and Guaramirim, the initiative aligns with the development agenda of northern Santa Catarina.
Driven by a regional GDP that grew 8% in 2024, according to IBGE.
The bridge not only solves an immediate bottleneck but positions the cities as strategic nodes in Mercosur logistics.
With facilitated access to the Port of Itapoá and the future duplication of BR-101.
While resources are being sought, the city halls monitor traffic on the detour, with awareness campaigns on road safety.
The work, prioritizing durability with post-tensioned concrete, projects a useful life of 100 years, contrasting with the 47 years of the previous structure.
This modernization comes at a critical moment, with northern SC recording a 15% increase in the flow of industrial cargo over the past two years.
In light of this advance in integration between Araquari and Guaramirim, what change do you expect to see first in the region’s routine: relief in freight time for industries or ease of daily commuting for workers and students?
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