Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
7 comments 
Highway Promised More Than Five Decades Ago to Connect the Paulista Capital to the South Coast Remains Just on Paper. The Project, Aiming to Ease the Anchieta-Immigrants System and Boost the Development of the Region, Had Its Feasibility Study Resumed in 2024 by the DER, but Did Not Present Significant Progress.
The SP-040 Highway, also known as Parelheiros-Itanhaém, continues to be just a project on paper, even after more than five decades of discussions and promises.
The road, which would allow connection between the Paulista capital and the South Coast in just 30 minutes, faces bureaucratic impasses and a lack of investments.
According to the Diário do Litoral portal, the Department of Highways (DER) informed that it would resume the feasibility studies for the highway.
-
Son of a seamstress from the rural area of Ceará who did not speak English wins a scholarship of over 2 million reais at Williams College, one of the top 10 universities in the United States, covering everything including dormitory, meals, and annual trips to Brazil.
-
Bill Gates revealed that the true secret behind every great achievement is not a brilliant leap but rather small improvements repeated over the years, and the data from his own career and the fight against climate change prove that he is right.
-
With 22 thousand tons of steel, a height nearly three times greater than the Eiffel Tower, and a cost of R$ 1.6 billion, China is building the highest bridge on the planet over a colossal canyon, reducing a crossing time of over 2 hours to just over 2 minutes.
-
With an investment of R$ 612 million, a capacity to process 1.2 million liters of milk per day, Piracanjuba inaugurates a mega cheese factory that increases national production, reduces dependence on imports, and repositions Brazil on the global dairy map.
However, seven months later, no concrete progress has been recorded, and the State Government only declared that it is assessing “alternatives to improve mobility”.
A Project That Never Left the Paper
The road, with just 15 kilometers in length, could revolutionize transportation between São Paulo and Baixada Santista, reducing congestion on the Anchieta-Immigrants System.
The initial project was approved 35 years ago by the Legislative Assembly, and even construction companies showed interest, but the work never started.
The State Secretariat for Partnerships in Investments (SPI) stated in a note that the previous studies from the DER are still under analysis.
The mayor of Itanhaém, Tiago Rodrigo Cervantes (Republicans), emphasized that “the access between Baixada Santista and the Plateau is one of the biggest bottlenecks in our Metropolitan Region”.
According to him, the highway would bring significant improvements in mobility, safety, and the local economy.
Economic and Logistical Impact
The highway would strengthen tourism and boost the region’s economy, linking rapidly growing areas of the Paulista capital with the South Coast.
Furthermore, cities in the Vale do Ribeira, such as Itariri and Pedro de Toledo, would also benefit, reducing logistical costs for transporting agricultural products to Ceagesp, the largest wholesale market for fresh food in South America.
Currently, residents of these regions travel up to 170 kilometers to access the Paulista capital, a journey that would be halved with the construction of the highway.
However, the DER stated that “the focus at the moment is on the third lane of the Immigrants Highway”, putting the SP-040 back on the back burner.
A Struggle That Lasts Decades
The debate over the need for the SP-040 highway has been ongoing since the 1970s, when a major political act brought together leaders and residents at the old Cine Castro in Itanhaém.
In 1994, deputy Erasmo Dias presented a project authorizing the construction of the highway, which was approved and converted into state law by then-governor Mário Covas.
Dias justified the work by stating that “the connection between the Plateau and the Paulista Coast is an urgent necessity, as the Anchieta-Immigrants complex is saturated”.
The project provided for a concession to the private sector, but to this day, no bidding has been held.
Construction Company Has Shown Interest
In 2012, Contern Construções e Comércio Ltda expressed interest in building and operating the highway, initially called Nova Imigrantes.
Later, it was considered to name it after former president João Goulart, but the project did not advance.
The route of the SP-040 was supposed to cross the valleys of the rivers Aguapeú, Branco, and Branquinho, connecting to the Padre Manuel da Nóbrega Highway in Itanhaém and continuing along the Coronel Joaquim Branco Rural Road to Serra do Mar.
The route would pass near the Indigenous Land of Rio Branco and the Sabesp treatment station.
Uncertain Future
Even with the history of neglect, experts emphasize the need for the highway.
In addition to meeting the growing demands of the region, it would serve as an alternative route for trucks coming from Paraná, western São Paulo, and Mato Grosso do Sul heading to the Port of Santos.
The construction of the SP-040 still has no projected timeline for advancement. Meanwhile, drivers continue to face chronic congestion and inefficient transportation between the capital and the coast.
The question that remains is: how long will the project remain forgotten?
Este projeto da SP-40, irá tirar algumas telas de alguns políticos e empresarios(empresas que administram rodovias Imigrantes e Anchieta), por este motivo, este projeto está engavetado a décadas e infelizmente continuará por que o outro projeto da rodovia imigrantes trará mais benefícios os grupos citados acima.
Seria muito importante para a população.A esperança voltou com a eleição do governador Tarcísio, mas esse, não tem dado Importância para o desenvolvimento da região. Uma pena!
Fala se tanto de preservação e o que vemos é a cada dia região de Parelheiros ser invadida e os governantes nada fazem, portanto esse papo de preservação se torna irrelevante. A pergunta que fica é a 3 pista da imigrantes não vai trazer nenhum impacto a natureza?